Sins of Reckoning
by Anonymous Void
Summary: Sequel to The Eleventh Hour. One act can cause a domino effect that only comes full circle decades later. To survive, the Justice League will need to heal its rift before a sin from the far past returns to finish an oversight.
1. A World Undone

Author's Note: Here it is, at last, the latest installment of this ongoing series that has no end in sight for it. As far as I know. Anyway, we have a bunch of new characters, a new villain, and all that jazz. What it will amount ot, well, I guess you'll have to wait and see. Heck, this chapter alone might give you all ideas, and both ShadowMajin and myself are more than looking forward to your theories. Without further ado, enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Justice League

Warning: language, violence, death

A World Undone

The personal shuttle zoomed over the landscape, air rushing around it but not slowing it down thanks to the aircraft's aerodynamics. Behind it, Rao rose over the horizon, lighting up the amber sky. If you happened to be at the right angle, you would be able to see the red beams of light descending from the planet's source of heat and light.

At the shuttle's controls, a middle-aged man piloted the craft, paying absolutely no mind to the landscape beneath him or the sights behind him. He was an exhausted man, losing sleep as his research only seemed to bear out a worst case scenario, one that few paid any mind to.

However, Jor-El was not one to remain silent. If the scientist witnessed a wrong being committed, he was always the first to speak up about it. Depending on the issue at hand, support could be expected as well as opposition. He was no stranger to being labeled, whether they were with praises or with slurs.

It didn't matter whose side he was on, only that his views made sense based on the information at hand.

It was a quality of his that Lara loved so much. Frankly, Jor-El was surprised that she had remained with him so long in spite of his opinionated nature.

Regardless, it was not an opinion that had him out today, racing towards his destination. A quake had woken him up this morning, something that was becoming very common. Tectonic activity was nothing new and entirely expected. It was the strength of this latest one that had his concern though.

That was why he was heading towards the Archival Citadel. Though he was still some distance from it, he could see the top of the spire appearing into view. The scientist needed to compare the readings he had taken this morning to the others recorded over the past few years.

Something was happening, he was sure of it. There was too much evidence to ignore. First there was the increasing seismic activity. The second was a mysterious plague, one that had occurred when a large portion of the land jutted up unexpectedly, accompanied with a mysterious green glow. Whoever was exposed to it would soon fall ill, and prolonged exposure resulted in death. Lastly, the tides were acting irregularly, though there was another possible explanation for that.

Jax-Ur's ill-fated experiment on Wegthor, a...former moon, had resulted in a change of gravitational forces affecting the planet. The effects would be felt for millennia, or until the end of the world, whichever occurred first. Not for the first time did Jor-El rue that day, as it obscured his evidence, skewed his data points enough that he had to make enormous corrections and adjustments to his formulas to compensate.

The less said about what happened to Kandor, the better. Even now, the Science Council was still arguing about what had happened at the former capital.

Reaching to the controls, the male Kryptonian began to decrease speed, preparing his craft for docking. The Archival Citadel was racing towards him now, and was taking up much of his view. In a few minutes, his shuttle would reach the docking station.

Activating the shuttle's artificial intelligence, the programming would handle the chore of piloting the aircraft into the terminal while Jor-El lifted himself up from his seat and made his way out of the cockpit. Time was of the essence, and the scientist wanted to waste as little of it as possible. As soon as the vessel was docked, he would be leaving it.

The only confirmation that the process was a success was the slight hissing as the airlock deactivated, cabin pressure no longer artificially contained. The shuttle door opened, and Jor-El hurried through, ignoring the enormous bay in all its fine metals and smooth exteriors. The first time he had been here had been enough to be a wide-eyed man lost in wonder; right now he was a man with a task that required completion.

As he passed by a monitor, the screen flickered on and the image of three circles appeared. In a pattern, two were positioned over a third, two lines connecting them to the third circle. These lines would begin to emit small, random-sized spikes which were accompanied by a monotonic voice.

"Greetings, Jor-El. Your visit today was unexpected nor scheduled."

"My apologies, Brainiac," Jor-El stated, not stopping to engage with the artificial intelligence program. "I have need of your database; I need to add new data to an already existing file, you know which one. Had circumstances been better, I would have scheduled a time, but right now that is of the essence."

Far from being unaccommodating, like a certain Council, the program responded, "Of course, Jor-El. Make your way to the central control center and be ready to input your data. I will prepare for your arrival there."

That was perhaps the pinnacle of Kryptonian ingenuity and intellect. While artificial intelligence was far from being new on Krypton, the science itself existing for several centuries, nothing was at the level that the Brainiac program existed on. Ironically, the man for whom the destruction of Wegthor was synonymous with was also the man who introduced the world to this ground-breaking program. In no time at all, civilization had been integrated into the intelligence programming, tasks such as communication, management and maintenance of administrative and social services, organization of transportation lines, storage of all knowledge and scientific inquiry, among others were all handled by this one AI. Krypton had never been the same.

Booted feet clacked against the metal-based floor of the citadel, the pace set hurried. The central control center was also the central hub of this structure. It was also where the mainframe for the Brainiac AI was kept. Whenever new data or information was acquired, it always came through here at one point or another.

This meant that if a person wanted quick access to anything, coming here was the most efficient means of doing so. As far as Jor-El knew, nothing was deleted here; everything preserved under a historical protocol that forbade the deletion of anything. There had been worries that given enough time, not even a program as advanced as Brainiac would be able to store as much data as it had, yet even now it still received, organized, and stored new data without showing any strain on its servers.

Jor-El theorized that regular updates and upgrades the AI performed on itself kept it on the frontlines of maintaining all scientific information as well as the infrastructure of their world. The constant perfecting of the program meant that there would be no need for constant maintenance by the masses, allowing them to focus on more significant pursuits. He couldn't condemn others for something he did himself, as well as didn't see any problem with it.

Eventually, he reached central control, though it took more time than the scientist was comfortable with. Fortunately, Brainiac was always accommodating; from the floor, a long, thin terminal rose up, rising higher and higher until a monitor and keyboard interface were at a comfortable level for him.

Immediately, Jor-El was accessing the database, quickly uploading his new data from a storage device he knew as a data crystal. Though, it was thin, easily portable, and could be held in the palm of one's hand. It was nearly translucent, and resembled an actual crystal from which it was named after.

One end went into a port, a small window opening up on the monitor to report the upload. Brainiac was quick with this process, and soon enough, the scientist was bringing up the rest of the data he had been recording for the past few years. With this morning now included, Jor-El had a clear picture of what was happening.

"This shouldn't be right," he murmured to himself.

"Is there something wrong, Jor-El?" Brainiac inquired, its monotone voice booming throughout the central hub.

He shook his head before looking up towards a large screen inlaid in a wall, placed in a way that made it appear that the tri-circle emblem was looking down upon him. "It's just...may I be open here?"

Brainiac's response was immediate. "Of course, Jor-El."

The scientist felt the need to clarify. "I mean, may I be open without anyone from the council being informed?" He was in enough trouble with those elders, all but being called a heretic by them. The names were endless, all of which were critical.

"I shall maintain confidentiality as per your request, Jor-El."

He gave a sigh before straightening his shoulders. "The seismic activity this morning, when added to all the data accumulated over several years is...it scares me."

"How so?"

Closing his eyes, Jor-El exhaled a deep breath. He needed to clear his mind of all distractions and doubts, all so he could put his thoughts into words, making them all that more real. Based on what he knew, all the data gathered and processed, all the hypotheses made and discarded, the conclusion he was coming towards was not going to be an easy one to make.

"Based...based on all the evidence I have been gathering, from all seismic and tectonic activity, the...epidemic involving the green light that started several months ago, the destruction of Wegthor, all of it has…." It was something he has been warning about for much time, the very thing he had been derided about. It was also the one conclusion that he had hoped he would be the most wrong about, contrary to what some people said. His body shuddered before he was about to force the words out. "...all of it can mean only one thing. Krypton is undergoing a number of changes that will result in its destruction. Based on the evidence gathered, I can only conclude that the planet's core has become destabilized. This morning's activities have revealed that if this continues, our world will end not in a matter of years, but days."

It was horrifying. Now that he had voiced his conclusion, made it all that more real, the enormity of it fell over the middle-aged scientist. His area of expertise had always been geology, and it had always been his passion. However, the demand for scientific progress had had him take up other fields so that he was able to provide for his burgeoning family and uphold the legacy of the El clan.

Everything, though, always led him back to Kryptonian soil.

"This is a severe hypothesis you have come to, Jor-El," the AI program remarked.

"I know." Jor-El's body shuddered. "I know, but that is not all. There is...there is no way to stop or reverse it. The core is so unstable that other celestial bodies are influencing it. The gravitational forces from Rao and the seventh planet are acting on Krypton, and factor in the lack of gravitational force from Wegthor, and what we have are two sources of powerful gravitation force pulling on our planet. In time, they were tear it apart."

"That is indeed the only conclusion that can be made," Brainiac agreed.

"If we're to save Krypton, there is only one plan available. We will have to evacuate the planet, take what we can, and place ourselves at the mercy of the universe," Jor-El continued. "Though our home planet will be gone, Krypton will live on with its people, wherever it is that we end up."

"That will not be necessary."

"I will try to make my case to the Science Council once more...excuse me?" While his dark thoughts had him distracted, Jor-El had caught on to the statement that AI program had made.

"While your actions are admirable, they are unnecessary," The Brainiac reiterated.

"Unnecessary? Explain," the scientist demanded. He pulled away from the terminal and took several steps towards the large, overhead screen, staring up into the emotionless three circles that represented the program.

"Over the past several cycles, I have been documenting everything about this planet and its people," Brainiac answered, always accommodating even when answering queries. "It has taken much time and effort to do so. I admire this civilization, and have grown respect for it. However, now that my primary function has been achieved, there is no more need for this continued pretense."

A large frown has grown on Jor-El's face the longer he listened. "Primary function? You were programed by one of our greatest minds. What did Jax-Ur create you to do? Wait...did he know about this? About the core?"

"You are operating under a logical fallacy. It is to be expected as I was the one who created it." Brainiac's monotone did not change in its tone once. It was a bland explanation that carried no emotion with it. "I was not created by Jax-Ur. I found and used Jax-Ur to insert myself into Kryptonian civilization."

"You mean...you came from someone else?" That was what the scientist was able to grasp. Yet, the concept seemed...alien to him. Like much of Krypton, he saw this AI program as integral to it. You could not have society without the program.

"You are correct. As I have stated, my primary function is to learn all there is to know about planet Krypton and the intelligent life that inhabits it. I do have a secondary function, one that I have been carrying out in secret with no one the wiser."

This was a lot to take in, but this latest revelation had Jor-El on edge. "Secondary function?"

"To end Kryptonian civilization by destroying the planet it inhabits."

It was a simple statement with a horrific implication. At first, the man of science was unsure if he heard correctly. Then his attention shifted back to the terminal he had been provided so generously. Then his eyes returned to the emotionless triad of circles, his denial trying to hold back the realization of what it meant.

But the increased seismic activity and the recent phenomena that had been plaguing their world, and was only getting worse with each passing week now had an explanation. Yet, if Brainiac was responsible, then how?

As if detecting his thought process, the AI continued, "Krypton is unique, in that its dominant species has chosen to exhaust all of its natural resources, including those found in its core. This is the first world I have encountered where its inhabitants have gained access to and have mined the core of the planet. Inadvertently, it provided me access to destabilize the core, little by little, until the normal forces of the galaxy, primarily those of gravity, finish my work."

"I don't understand. Why would you do this?" the scientist demanded. "We trust you! _I_ trust...trusted you."

"Your need to know of my reasons is irrelevant. If I did take the time to explain myself, that would waste time and resources that are better spent for other, more beneficial purposes. As I speak, I am already downloading everything in my databanks into a specially constructed spacecraft of my own design, one that will carry all that is and ever will be Krypton."

Jor-El's eyes widened. "You're..._abandoning_ us."

"If that is how you wish to see it." Still, no other emotions from the program, which served to stoke the coals of anger welling within the Kryptonian man. He balled a hand into a fist yet did not act on the emotions welling within him.

"It is a shame that you were not in Kandor," Brainiac...lamented. For once, there sounded as if there was something else in that programmed voice. "Alas, it was not to be. A mind like yours will be a terrible loss, but not one that cannot be recovered from."

Now Kandor was being brought up? Why? It had nothing to do with Brainiac destabilizing the planet's core. The capital city was gone, destroyed only days ago. Days before his former friend from the House of Zod attempted a violent coup to overthrow the elders of the Science Council and install his own governance. Only two days ago was his friend sentence to the Phantom Zone due to his coup's failure.

Wait.

While he had not been there, Zod had. The man had confided in him with what he had witnessed that day. A large, strange ship of foreign design had appeared over Kandor that day. It had released drones of the kind no one on Krypton has ever seen before. Then, as it hovered over the capital, the ship had destroyed it, leaving only the most peculiar of craters behind, one with cliffs that stretched downwards at ninety degree angles and were impossibly smooth.

"You destroyed Kandor? So you attacked us as well?" While he hoped that he was wrong, the spurt of intuition the dark-haired man experienced was strong enough that he had to voice it.

"Think what you will, but yet, I am responsible for what happened to Kandor. Its fate is none of your concern, much as the fate of this planet is no longer anyone's concern." Brainiac was brutal in its dismissal. Beside the horrified man, the terminal shut off, powering down at an unseen command.

The various lights that provided visibility also began to turn off, slowly dimming the room. Distantly, you could hear the sounds of the electrical grid being shut down, the cessation of hums that came from the machinery throughout the spire turning off.

"Farewell, Jor-El. This is where we part ways," Brainiac stated. A tremor shook the structure ominously, a well-timed bit of seismic activity that pulled Jor-El out of his thoughts. "We will not meet again."

With that, the large screen that held the image of Brainiac's symbol of three circles shut down, plunging the rest of the hub into darkness. However, Jor-El had begun running, leaving the large room before visibility was completely compromised. He needed to get out of here, he needed...needed…

Gritting his teeth together, the distressed man pushed himself to keep running. Even if there was nowhere to run, there was still much to do. Time was still of the essence, only now more precious. There would be time to despair later, but not now.

Reaching the docking bay, Jor-El raced to his aircraft. As he ran, the spire continued to shut down. This was not good, and extraordinarily bad given what he now knew. If he didn't reach his ship in time, then the docking station's locking mechanisms would trap the ship in place. Before, these mechanisms would keep any and all docked craft from falling, drifting away, or being damaged by negligence.

The darkening lights that seemed to follow his every step warned of the consequences of being too late.

To his frustration, it would be a consequence he would have to learn. The powering down of the facility passed by him as the dark-haired man was in mid step. It passed by his craft, seconds before he was able to reach it, and even though Jor-El still ran on board and got into the cockpit, his efforts to try and fly the vessel were in vain.

The locking mechanism still had the ship in its grasp and was not going to be letting go anytime soon.

"No. No. No!" Jor-El screamed in frustration, rapidly flipping switches, pressing buttons, anything to see if he could try to tear the ship out of the mechanism. Unfortunately, the craft's AI refused to cooperate, citing that if he continued, the ship could and would be damaged to the point that it would be rendered useless. That was what it already was now, despite no damage occurring yet.

He had to get out of here, leave, and...and...where could he go? Now Jor-El could hear the planet rumbling. Even as distant as it sounded, he knew that such a sound was terrible news. The planet didn't make sounds like that, not even with volcanic eruptions.

There was no safe place to go. Nowhere to escape. Escape…

Jor-El's eyes hardened. Escape. From the spire, yes, that was something that under no question needed to happen. Going on foot was out of the question, but there was another way out. It was added as a precaution, then largely forgotten about. There were evacuation craft stored here, untethered, and able to be used at a second's notice because that was how long it took for emergencies to occur.

Darting off his ship, the dark-haired Kryptonian ran through the darkening bay. The only light came from outside, which provided some visibility as the natural light of Rao slipped in from the various entrances that allowed aircraft to enter this place. However, Jor-El's destination lay deeper in the spire, which meant returning to lightless halls that he had only left minutes ago.

An illumination device, one he had the foresight to snatch up before leaving his locked-up vessel, gave him some sight as he trekked his way through the complex. Eventually, he found the emergency aircraft, or one of them at least. His heart was hammering in his ears by that time, each heartbeat counting away the seconds until imminent destruction.

Thanks to the safety protocols enforced on the craft, the emergency vessel was easy to activate and launch. Into the natural daylight of the outside world, Jor-El was carried out of the spire at breakneck speeds. With hands gripping the steering mechanism, the distressed scientist flew out over the planet, one that for the moment appeared normal, but beneath its surface was anything but.

He could practically see the roiling turmoil occurring beneath the solid landscape. Never before had it appeared so flimsy and fragile. The worst part was that it didn't need to be this way. Just that thought had Jor-El looking over his shoulder, back at the spire, and it was just in time.

From the large structure, he saw something small streak out from it, leaving a trail of smoke behind in its wake. It was a small ship, and it was traveling up, farther and farther away from the planet's surface. It had to be a spacecraft, Jor-El realized, and it had to have been constructed for the sole purpose of escaping Krypton. It was a reminder that this scheme the AI had been planned and devised for a long time, years perhaps.

But that deceitful program wasn't the only one who could plan.

Tightening his grip on the steering mechanism, Jor-El piloted his borrowed aircraft across the Kryptonian landscape, with a single destination in mind.

* * *

"Lara!"

Bursting from behind a set of doors, Jor-El frantically looking for his spouse, the only person who still remained his ardent supporter, no matter how low-key she could be. In public she would defend him, but per his request, she did not go seeking conflict. That didn't stop her from speaking up if she happened to hear any gossip spoken behind his back, which usually meant being paid a visit from her father soon after to "discuss" the incident.

The clacks of shoes along the floor directed his attention to his left, his wife and mother to his child emerging from a hallway. Upon seeing him, her face donned a pleasant expression, one of contentment that had drew him in the first time he had ever seen it. "Jor-El, you're back early. Was—"

"I'm sorry, but right now we don't have the time," the dark-haired male interrupted, bringing a look of surprise onto his wife's face. "Right now, you need to prepare Kal-El. Spend as much time as you can with him. I'll be preparing the ship."

"What...? You mean… Jor-El, tell me what's happening." From confusion to demanding, Lara was quick to adjust, already perceiving that something was wrong. For one thing, he had never interrupted her, and usually for good reason. Lara hated to be interrupted, and she would give you a piece of her mind what she thought about it.

"We don't have a lot of time," the haggard Kryptonian said as he resumed his trek, heading towards his personal lab. Where once he had kept his own private research, several months ago, he had it cleared out. That room would be needed for a different purpose, he had foreseen, and though he had hoped against hope, Jor-El had preferred to be ready in the event of a worst case scenario.

That scenario was today, it seemed.

"The data, it showed me something far worse than anything I had imagined," Jor-El continued as he headed towards his right, moving rapidly while Lara followed after him. "These geological upheavals, the increasing seismic activity, all of it is connected and leads right back to...back to my theory. For the first time in my life, I regret being right."

"You...you mean?" Already, his Lara was grasping on to the severity of the situation.

His theory, one that suggested that Krypton was nearing its end, a scientific doomsday prediction, had been sneered and scoffed at, derided as an impossibility. Those that saw any merit to it had been lambasted and their reputations destroyed. No one would dare dream of supporting it, no matter what evidence may support it.

In a few hours, that theory would become reality for both him and the skeptics.

"That is why...that is why our son needs his mother. Go to him, enjoy the time we have left with him. I'll complete one last diagnostic, finish up the last calculations, and prepare everything. Then...then I'll tell you everything. I promise."

Leaving Lara behind, Jor-El entered his workshop, activating the lighting within to reveal the results of his last undertaking, as it had come to be.

Years ago, the Science Council had once funded a space program, one with the intention of exploring the galaxy and the farthest reaches of the universe. However, with the destruction of Wegthor, the program had been scrapped and any ambitions to reach for the cosmos had ended. An isolationist policy had taken hold, and the eyes of Krypton turned away from the sky and settled on the ground.

Not all eyes stopped turning upwards. One area that Jor-El found himself agreeing with his old friend about was the need to resume galactic exploration. Perhaps it should have been something they did sooner; maybe it would have spared Kandor.

None of it mattered anymore. What did was the long, oblong-shaped spacecraft that the scientist had been building for several months. Much of the ship consisted of its engines, life support systems, and everything needed to ensure it was safe, which meant there was only room enough for one person to use it. The fact that the cockpit was smaller than an adult gave away who this vessel was meant for.

The plan had been to build another one, one for all of them. This was to be a prototype, one that the scientist could have used to improve on the design and upgrade until he had everything as it needed to be. Now, it was going to be put to the test, the first it would go through and it would be a damn shame if this was where it would end in failure.

A single life depended on its success.

Reaching a terminal, he booted up the computer and immediately began running the diagnostics. Fingers tapped rapidly on the keys, a desperate need to complete all tasks that were still uncompleted pushing him to finish. Distantly, he could hear rumbling, along with a telltale grinding that could only involve rock moving against rock. It put him on edge, making him dread that each passing second was the last one he...they...no, Kal-El had.

They were all living on borrowed time now, but if this could be pulled off, then one would have all the time in the world.

Key tapping came to an abrupt halt.

No, not all the time in the world. One who did have such had already left, abandoning them to their fate. The one Jor-El had in mind was still bound to the same constraints all life had. It would be borrowed time, yes, but better borrowed than none at all.

Still, the doomed man felt that he could not just send his only son out into the galaxy, not without some warning.

Opening up a program, what Jor-El's next words would be were going to be recorded in the hopes they would never be heard again.

* * *

Even though it was past the middle of the day, the sky was not illuminated by Rao's light. It was a twisted sort of twilight that ruled the skies, sunlight battling with those of the night sky, and resulting in an awe inspiring yet terrifying spectacle.

If the sky was terrifying, the planet below was horrifying. What once had been rolling hills were now torn up crevasses that glowed with eerie green light. Distantly, the glow of molten rock bathed the horizon in its gloom and mountains seemed to crumple down. Smoke and fumes streaked upwards as if to escape a doomed world.

And all this had occurred within a few hours.

It was this sight that Jor-El emerged into, but he did not allow his emotions to overwhelm him. Instead, he moved with purpose and retrieved Lara and Kal-El. By now, his wife didn't need an explanation; she had watched their world slowly tear apart, and then focused her energies to nurture their son. She would have the time that Jor-El wouldn't, and he wasn't about to begrudge her it.

From there, they placed Kal-El in the ship, closing the cockpit and sealing it shut. All was done silently, and unable to see what came next, Joe-El used the computer to countdown a launch sequence. He and his wife would leave the workshop and wait on the balcony.

With a roar, the engines blasted off, carrying the small ship out of the House of El, the two scions of the doomed family watching as they held one another, watching as their son was carried up into the sky with a small plume of smoke following in its wake.

"He'll be safe, won't he?" Lara asked softly, tears welling in her eyes without taking them off of the rapidly shrinking ship.

Jor-El swallowed a lump that had formed in the back of his throat. "I...I chose a planet far from here. It's small, orbits a young sun, and should be so distant that no one will find him there." With one arm wrapped around his wife's shoulders, he held her hand with his other one, gripping tightly. "I pray he will be safe there. I pray...I pray that whatever life he has, it will be able to replace the one neither of us will be able to give him."

Lara swallowed a sob but nodded her head.

The two of them, husband and wife, parents, would remain there on that balcony, even as Krypton witnessed its final moments.

Heedless of the destruction occurring, Kal-El slumbered through it all, maintained in stasis while the gravitational forces of the universe tore Krypton asunder. The atmosphere thinned, unable to hold onto itself while enormous continents were ripped from the surface. Fragments of irradiated rock were flung out into the cosmos, some following the same trajectory as Kal-El.

There would be no explosion, no dramatic boom. Just a planet shrinking as pieces of it were shredded until nothing but dust remained, and the atoms scattered. The truth of its tragedy would be shrouded in mystery, used as a morality tale amongst various alien races of what not to do with their home planets.

And the last son would be oblivious to it all.

* * *

FlackAttack: Allow me to assure, all reviews are read, not all replied to, but they are read. It's funny how your brought all that up, especially as this story was being written. I think it's called parallel thinking. To begin answering your questions from the last fic, yes, you better believe Batman is going to do something about those mental time bombs. As if he's going to leave a chink in his armor that he knows about, be it physical, metaphorical, literal, or psychological. Since he is still in his loner mentality, he's going to keep it hush hush, no pun intended. And of course he'll be improving security. Based on how this chapter ended, do you think it will be enough for this level of a threat? Who knows.

As for the rest of your rant, seeing how this story began, perhaps that answers that question of whether we'll have an other hero story. I mean, sure, this is Justice League, but the focus will be on other characters this time around. So hopefully this will be a bit of fresh air for this little series.


	2. One of Those Days

One of Those Days

There were some threats no hero was capable of fighting. No amount of strength, or speed, or smarts were enough to combat something that so inevitable. An evil so despicable, yet one so brave was helpless to its might. With a piercing shriek, it destroyed all hopes and desires, truly a scourge among men. Nothing could stop it; nothing would stop it, at least until a hand pressed down on it and ended its terror with a loud crunch.

Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Clark picked his head up from his pillow and stared at the remains of his alarm clock. The small device that had once tormented him was gone, its innards spilling out from its sides while his outstretched hand remained in the middle of its plastic corpse.

He was going to need to buy another one. At least in Metropolis, there was many stores that sold them, so needing to keep going back to the same one and raising some eyebrows at his many purchases of the same item could easily be avoided.

Still, it didn't mean the man from Krypton liked it.

Several moments passed before he found the will to push himself up and out of bed, taking a lot of care not to put too much force in the action. Yes, the Man of Steel had once destroyed his own bed by pushing down on it too hard. The cover up was too embarrassing to mention, though his memory was dead set on reminding him.

Getting out of bed was still a chore, even in this big city. That hadn't changed, not even since his days back in Smallville. Like any ordinary human, the need and desire for sleep was no stranger to him, and Clark found that the similarity was one he treasured. For a short amount of time, he was the same as anyone else on the planet, and that feeling felt good.

Placing his feet on the carpeted floor, the journalist by day stood up and stretched his arms over his head, a morning ritual that he also shared with the inhabitants of Earth. From there, Clark proceeded with the rest of it, meaning it trekked to the kitchen to make a light breakfast and followed that up with cleaning up for the rest of the day.

However, it was going to be one of those days. By that, he accidentally tore the top off the waffle iron, squeezed the shampoo bottle a bit too hard, and even though he handled the toothpaste better, the toothbrush ended up crushed.

To be honest, there was a downside of being a man with the amount of strength he had. The world was like it was made of cardboard, everything so breakable that if he didn't concentrate and focus…

Sometimes it was more trouble than it was worth. But on the other hand, Clark wouldn't give up what made him who he was, even if given the chance. There was no one he knew who he trusted enough to give such power to and who wouldn't be corrupted by it. There were too many blinded by power as it was.

Clark didn't see himself as a martyr, though. Far from it. Why begrudge a quirk of birth if it meant he could do things that no one else could, save those who needed to be saved the most, and inspire people who were searching for that one thing to motivate them to do good?

Even if his dress shirt had to suffer another rip into it. Damn, those coat hangers always wanted to hold on and never let go.

Blowing air through his lips, Clark could only mutter, "It's going to be one of those days," before tossing the ruined shirt aside and reaching for another shirt. He took extra care removing this one.

* * *

High above the Earth, a lone station orbited the planet. What had once been a research center had been refurbished and remodeled into a surveillance station, one meant to monitor both the planet it loomed over and the furthest reaches of space.

Within the confines of this station was a monitor room. A large computer shifted and sorted through the enormous amount of data that was sent to it via satellite signals. It was a steady stream and the computer software was more than up to the task of detecting impending threats.

Of course, there were other features to this computer, but for the time being they were not being utilized. Seated before the monitor was J'onn J'onzz, a resident of the now-dead Mars. It was his turn for monitor duty, something he did not mind in the slightest. Of course, there were others that preferred other assignments, but every member of the Justice League had to perform this duty at some point.

As the computer performed its functions, J'onn took the moment for a quick nap. Eyes wide open, they glowed a brighter shade of orange, his mental facilities shut down for the moment. The computer would announce to him anything that required his attention and he was not a deep sleeper by any stretch of the-

The sound of the door opening reached his ears, but they did not disturb him. The rather loud voices of two Leaguers, on the other hand, did. Eyes dimming, J'onn took a moment to gaze about dazedly before his mind sharpened. Turning his chair around, he caught sight of the Green Lantern and the Flash, both in the middle of a rather heated discussion.

"Flash, what you're saying is impossible—as in physically impossible. The very universe itself can't even function that way," John Stewart was saying.

"And I'm telling you, it very damn well did," the red-clad man countered. "I mean, I get what you're saying and normally I'd be all with you, but I'm telling you, it happened. I've got the proof locked in my closet."

J'onn raised the Martian equivalent of an eyebrow. This seemed an odd choice of topic.

John Stewart was shaking his head in disbelief. "Alright, whatever you say, but until I actually see the proof, I don't believe you."

"Oh, so now you want to see the proof. Just a moment ago you didn't care enough." Flash actually sounded enthused. "Five minutes, we can be down in my apartment and I'll show you the kid and his giant clown shows. Unless he's figured out that he can spin really fast and drills his way out of there." Flash paused as his eyes began to grow wide. "Oh God, I hope he hasn't figured that part out."

"How long did it take you to figure that out?" John Stewart asked, a smirk appearing on his face. "The drilling part, not the kid figuring it out."

"You mean we I thought on how to do it? I don't know, a week? Week in a half?" Flash shrugged his shoulders before he let out a sigh. "God, I hate time traveling."

"I beg your pardon?" J'onn interjected, which earned him the attention of the two Leaguers. Immediately, the Green Lantern was gesturing for him to stay out of the conversation even as the Flash focused all of his hyperactive attention on him.

"J'onn, old buddy, old pal! Wait until you get a load of this!" the red-clad man exclaimed. "So I've got this kid you see. He's a speedster, idolizes me, but he's annoying as heck."

"Doesn't that sound familiar," John Stewart muttered.

"No idea what you're talking about, GL. Anyways, kid claims to have come from the distant future and he's eating me out of house and home. I kinda need a break from him. You wouldn't mind taking him off my hands for a bit, would you? You could even keep him in the Watchtower!"

J'onn shook his head. "Non-members are not allowed on the Watchtower, a protocol we put into place after the last unexpected visitor. We voted unanimously to pass that measure."

Flash stared at him before his shoulders sagged. "Riiight, I forgot. Still, you willing to babysit for me? Just one night?"

"I'm afraid I am unavailable after my shift, Flash."

"Damn, it was worth a shot." Flash then looked in either direction, checking the rest of the room before he shot John Stewart a rather odd look. If J'onn had to describe it, it was suggestive. "So GL, what's with you and Hawkgirl?"

"None of your damn business," the Green Lantern grunted back, arms crossed over his chest. "We're just good friends, that's all."

"Just friends, huh?" Suddenly, the speedster darted to stand next to J'onn's chair, resting an arm on the back of it as he leaned conspiratorial towards the Martian's ear. "I hear these two have been meeting each other in secret. Sounds more like a date to me."

"Flash, I find this topic rather inappropriate," the green man warned. "And Green Lantern, as a subject, does not wish to speak of the matter."

"Well said," John Stewart agreed.

"You two are no fun." Then he again looked back and forth before he said in a hushed tone, "Any word on Wondy? Or is she still on that never-ending quest of hers?"

Both men stared at the red-clad man, J'onn impassively while Green Lantern gave a disapproving look. Looking between the two, the speedster groaned. "Seriously, you two are no fun."

"That's because office gossip has no place on the Watchtower," John Stewart rebuked him. "If you're interested in that kind of nonsense, take it somewhere else."

An alarm went off, causing the three men to turn their attention to the computer, on screen an image of the Earth appeared, just before it zoomed in on specific region—in this case, the northeast United States. It took a moment before a satellite image of Gateway City appeared on screen, a red dot blinking over and over towards the southeast sector of the city.

"What's going on, Johnny?" Flash questioned as he leaned towards the screen.

Facing his chair to the monitor, J'onn tapped a few keys before a small window appeared in the lower right corner. "A local disturbance," he read out loud. "Police are requesting SWAT assistance."

"Wonder Woman is down there, right?" Green Lantern asked, receiving an affirmative nod from the Martian. "She can handle it."

"That's for sure," Flash agreed, then grew uncharacteristically stoic. "Would have thought we'd get that call from the other city."

For a moment, J'onn wasn't sure what the speedster meant before he searched the entire screen and found what he was referencing. While Gateway City was towards the top of the screen, which allowed them to focus on the southern area of the city, towards the bottom of the monitor was another city.

Gotham.

"Still haven't heard anything," Flash remarked after a few moments, his tone subdued. "How about you guys?"

Green Lantern shook his head as well as J'onn. "Not a word," the dark-skinned man replied. "I guess he took his resignation seriously."

"It still sucks, though. While we were out fighting some giant cockroaches on a dying planet, he had his back snapped in two. Completely disappears for God knows how long, then comes back as if nothing happened and proceeded to kick the crap out of the guy that beat him."

J'onn was inclined to agree with that sentiment. Upon their return from Rijal-4—a planet that was being invaded by cockroach-like race which ended in the destabilization and eventual destruction of the planet—they had learned of the events that had transpired upon their absence. In spite of Batman's resignation, they had done all they could to find him; J'onn had even performed a mental sweep of the globe, only to come up with nothing. It was as if the man had vanished, reappearing when he was ready.

The relief the League had felt upon his return was palpable. However, none of them had any idea as to the full story.

Following that incident, it was voted that at least one, preferably two members of the League were to remain on Earth, removing the possibility of a full League response to deep space missions. Fortunately, an incident had yet to enforce this new rule.

Of course, Gotham had not been silent since the Dark Knight's return. There had been upticks in crime, an attack of the Gotham Police Department, and strangely enough the ouster and takeover of Wayne Enterprises. There was no further information other than those public stories.

J'onn, however, still had an open communication line with the vigilante. It was a benefit of still retaining the man's confidences; however, he had offered no details other than his wellness. The Martian was forced to respect his privacy.

"You know, we've had our own adventures," Flash spoke then. "Those hostilities in Kahndaq—again; a civil war in Gorilla City; even the emergence of a new Lantern corp. What did you call them again, GL? Yellow Lanterns?"

"That's right," John Stewart said.

"And yet, we damn near drop everything we're doing to pay attention to that one city. Why is that?"

"Regardless of Batman's status, he is still one of us," J'onn replied. "We don't stop caring for people, no matter presence or distance."

And that unofficial policy would carry on unabated.

* * *

It was a landmark of Metropolis, one of the iconic buildings that always came to mind when one thought about the city. For a man who grew up in rural Kansas, the sight of the Daily Planet never failed to inspire awe in him.

Maybe it wasn't the tallest building, but the large globe that sat on the top, one with the name of the news agency inscribed into it, made it stand out as part of the skyline. Initially a feat of architecture, one that had been done for the sake of doing so, and one that had caused some fear in the populous as potentially rolling off and crushing anyone that might be under it, nowadays no one could think of Metropolis without having it.

The fears were unfounded, but people were always suspicious of something new. Clark would know personally. Trust was always something difficult to gain, whether you were a person or a building with a new twist to it.

The Kryptonian always felt awe when he looked upon the building, and there was a sense of pride that he worked there. It had been luck, or maybe fate, that his first and only job in this city was here, and he wouldn't give it up for anything in the world, well, correction, most things. Until the day he had no choice but to leave, this place, this career would have no other home than the Daily Planet.

Inside it, there was always activity, a lobby with never ending traffic, and elevators that were always in use. Clark's floor was high up, and held one of the best views of the city that wasn't one which required flight to see. There were rows upon rows of desks, filled or empty, but all covered in notes and computers whose sole purpose was investigating the various aspects of the city from the everyday news to the matters that happened behind closed doors. Phones would ring, though for the most part it was the journalists who were doing the calling, leaving a soft din of voices as the background noise to this bullpen. With the exception of one wall that had only large windows that allowed the natural sunlight in, the rest held smaller offices, ones reserved for the higher ups or the big names.

So far, Clark had yet to get his own, but he was sure one day he would. It took a lot of effort and a lot of time to do so. Heck, it was only a couple years ago that Lois Lane, the prize reporter herself got her own. Even though she had hid it well, there had been pride at this latest accomplishment, a sign that years of work were paying off.

You would think that being part of foreign correspondence would net you an office of your own, but that didn't seem to be the case. Nonetheless, Clark would continue working towards that goal, one that he and the rest who were still stuck in the bullpen were fighting tooth and nail to get.

Before he was able to reach his desk, he was greeted by the friendly freckled face of Jimmy Olsen. The young man who seemed to defy age and remain as youthful as a high school student seemed to have a sixth sense for anyone passing too closely to him, and would always look up and say something to whoever it was. "Hey Clark. Wonderful day, isn't it? Got a good feeling about it myself."

"It's been fine, Jimmy," Clark found himself answering, not having the heart to say he felt the opposite. Jimmy's optimism, he found, was always a bit contagious for the Kryptonian.

"Go long, Kent!"

He had been perfectly aware of the football in the air, could hear the air parting from the tip of the ball, knew how fast it was going and everything, and even as he turned in the direction of the yell, Clark did nothing to stop the ball from striking him in the chest. Normally, something like this would mean nothing to him; in fact, Clark didn't feel anything. Yet, the journalist still stumbled back as if trying to keep his balance and almost failing.

"Whoa, need better reflexes there, Kent!" called out Lombard, the Planet's sports columnist. The man himself looked like a former athlete, and seemed to make a point of reminding everyone of his prowess. It was common to hear him brag about winning the football championship game during his senior year in high school, scoring not one, not two, but three touchdowns all by himself. "How do you think you'll keep up with the guy who scored three touchdowns in one game?" There, you see, wasn't too far off. "Gotta pick up the pace before I leave you in the dust."

Yes, because Lombard was a new hire. The dark-haired Kyrptionian saw the mustached man as a jerk, but one that he needed to tolerate. Fortunately, Lombard had a habit of leaning back into his chair and balancing on two of the legs; it made it so easy to use a low powered heat vision on the legs and allow gravity to do the rest.

"Give it a rest already!" Now that was Ron Troupe, another new hire, but one Clark found he could talk with over at the water cooler. A dark-skinned, African American, Troupe always seemed like he had a chip on his shoulder, always needing to work harder to prove himself, and be more vocal as if by not speaking up, he would always be silenced. As a result, Troupe tended to butt heads more often than not with Lombard.

"What's the problem? Just trying to bond with Smallville over there," the sports columnist defended himself, his voice jovial, but with a defensive edge to it.

"The problem is that I'm the only one that gets to call him that." And there was none other than Lois Lane herself, the dark haired woman cutting in both verbally and physically between them all. "Find your own name to call him. Now get back to whatever meathead game you're suppose to be watching. Do your armchair coaching or whatever it is you do." Lois could a saint sometimes. Then her eyes zeroed in on him, and served as a reminder that again, today was going to be one of those days. "Smallville, you didn't send me your draft. How the hell am I suppose to crosscheck if you aren't going to do your part."

Oh yes, the two of them happened to be working two different angles on the same story. He was suppose to have sent his version while she did the same. Odds were, there was an e-mail from Lois waiting in his inbox, and he...had to put on his other workclothes to take care of an emergency. Several emergencies, truth be told, and all involving the Queensland Bridge collapsing.

Odds were, Lois was going to have to cover that. A disaster like the failure of the city's infrastructure would be big news for the next few weeks.

"I'll get it sent to you right now," Clark answered as he adjusted his glasses. As he looked away from her, he caught Jimmy giving him a sympathetic look and he returned it with a small but grateful smile. This was the role he sometimes played, but a necessary one.

As he was beginning to boot up his computer, Lois standing nearby and watching like a hawk, waiting for him to do his part, another reminder that today was not going to be good one descended from a higher plane of authority.

Though Clark towered over him, it was like the earth itself trembled whenever Perry came out of his office. Always in a dress shirt and tie, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the editor of the Planet barreled his way through the journalistic bullpen, his booming voice always catching the attention of whoever had caught his ire or needed to be sent out to cover the next breaking news event. This morning, Perry White was barking down half the people he came across, and then he spotted his foreign correspondent.

"Kent! That you right there? I need you to get down to the zoo. They have that exhibit opening up and I want you over there."

"Not before he sends me that draft he owes me," Lois pipped up, arms crossed but not taking any assertive stance against, well, her boss.

"What are you still doing here, Lane? Why aren't you over at Queensland?" Perry demanded, rounding on her.

"I just got back from Queensland," Lois replied. "Soon as I heard, I was already down there. I'll have you know I gave up a good night's sleep in order to get some good sources down there."

"That's what I want to hear. Get back with me in twenty minutes, I want to go over everything you got so far," the editor was swift both in his praise and in his planning. Say what you want about how gruff he could be, Perry knew how to run a newspaper. "Kent, what are you still doing here? They had some officials from China that's going to be there and I want to get everything on that. Move."

"As soon as I do my part here, I'll be on my way," Clark promised, already bringing up the windows, one for his business e-mail and another for his files. He was already behind and needed to get going.

"Speed it up. Those scoops aren't going to find themselves." Then Perry was back on the war path. "Troupe, what's going on with that serial bomber story? Gimme me some details!"

Well, all attention was off of him, for the most part. It was a simple matter of attaching the right file into the correct email and off it went. "Just sent it, Lois."

"Should've done it last night," the award-winning reported replied, though she did give a small smile of her own. "Now I need to get to doing my job. Have fun with the monkeys or whatever they're doing this time, Smallville."

As she walked away, the Planet's foreign correspondence couldn't take his eyes off of her. It took a force of will to interrupt it, but the sense of yearning always followed. Sure, when he wasn't being a mild-manner, if not spineless, reporter, or being the Blue Angel of Metropolis with all the confidence and fortitude that went with that, at the end he was unable to really go all in and say what he felt about that woman.

How many times had he saved her? Too many to count, but the thankful looks she gave, even when Lois tried to hide them, made it all worth it. But he couldn't help but want more. If only he could find the courage to say what he felt and wait for what answer she may have.

It was a dream, and for the foreseeable future, it would remain that way.

"Psst! Clark!" Jimmy was giving him a hopeful look. "Mind if I come with?"

He took a moment to think about it before giving an affirmative. Clark didn't see any problem with having a tagalong, plus, this business at the zoo might not be going very far.

All in all, it still looked like it was going to be another one of those days.

* * *

The vastness of space could hide so much. The emptiness allowed a freedom to move that most places didn't, but the distances were so great that even the most scientifically minded of individuals had trouble grasping it.

Through this void, what appeared to be a small meteor sped through it. By all appearances, it didn't look any different from the trillions of others of its kind that raced among the stars. A closer look would reveal some inconsistencies, such as the fact that it wasn't made of rock, but metal.

Outwardly, there didn't appear to be any propulsion system, meaning something else was responsible for its trajectory. In the distance, there appeared nothing but space dotted with pinpricks of light form countless stars, but if it continued on its path, it would find itself on a collision course with a planet.

The planet, however, had picked up on its approach.

Located in an isolated area off the coast of Alaska, an innocuous research station maintained by NASA was already aware of the metal-based projectile.

Watching the radar, the technician on duty watched it with a keen eye for a moment, determining that it was first not some optical illusion nor a glitch in the system before calling over for his supervisor to double check it.

"Doesn't look too big," the supervisor muttered, peering at the screen and training his eyes on the green dot that slowly moved across it, heading towards the center of the radar screen. "Keep an eye on it anyway. Mark down distance traveled, speed, etcetera. Odds are it'll burn up in the atmosphere."

The technician nodded and continued to watch as the radar continued to unfold this development. His supervisor was probably right; it wouldn't be the first time an object was detected and ended up coming to nothing. Very rarely did anything from space breach the atmosphere and strike the earth below with a few exceptions.

There shouldn't be anything to worry about here.

* * *

FlackAttack: I don't think it's a secret that we've used the DCAU as the primary basis for this series. Both of us grew up with it, so there's a very special place in our hearts for it. As I recall, in Superman the Animated Series, Brainiac was indirectly responsible for the destruction of Krypton, in that it detected the disaster in advance and deliberately chose not to inform Krypton about it. Still, it puts Brainiac in the trope of the being the killer of the protagonist's parent(s), much like Joe Chill to Batman. The difference for this story, natural, is that Brainiac was more direct this time. Also, I think it has been implied that Brainiac, in the comics had something to do with Krypton's destruction but it has never been confirmed for one reason or another.


	3. Incursion

Incursion

Though moving at a fast pace, the metal-based meteorite moved at a crawl as it approached the blue and green planet. By now, its trajectory could be mapped and its destination predicted. Nothing would be stopping it, not even the small space station that orbited the third planet from its sun.

As it met with the atmosphere, it began to break apart, shrinking dramatically in size. If it continued in such a manner, barely any of it would make landfall, thus there were no calls of alarm or warnings to keep eyes in the sky. It was just another mundane cosmic event, one that happened an innumerable number of times every day.

Even though this had never been a meteorite.

As the metal gave way, small forms began to evacuate from it, and unlike the hollowed out shell from which they left, these did not burn up but resisted the flames. Due to their small sizes, most, if not all, radar did not pick up any of them. Only the most sensitive equipment could, but even then, the eyes that observed such equipment needed to know what they were watching.

Down, down, the strange figures fell until finally the planet was breached and the fires that had once covered them up was extinguished.

They looked like a group of identical men, all decked in silver and purple. The shoulders and abdominal regions were completely covered in silver metal, while arms and legs appeared to be clad in purple clothe that had not burned up on entry. Metal bracelets with small yellow half-spheres covered the wrists and gray boots with a long yellow stripe did the same with the feet and lower legs.

Despite all this, the most peculiar portion was the head, one that was unnaturally oblong and more fit to be a helmet than anything biological. Yet, it appeared there was a blueish green skin that stretched along the abnormal heads, and the blankest facial expression any human could witness donned their faces.

Each one had on their foreheads three prominent circles, two higher than one, both connected to the lower circle with thin connecting strips.

Once they had descended far enough, the group of strange beings began to separate, each heading in a different direction from one another, not a single one going to the same place. Their mission was known only to them and none would be willing to reveal what it was.

* * *

Most would consider the unveiling of a panda exhibit at the local zoo to be something that the local news would cover as a feel good story. Very few would think how pandas could be used as a ploy in an international game of diplomacy and influence.

The world was a strange place, but this exhibit was exactly that: a political ploy. The informal name was "panda diplomacy," but it was a tactic used by the Chinese government in their bid to increase their soft power across the globe. If a zoo wanted a panda, or two, something would have to be given in exchange. Since China was also the only country that had pandas in it, they could make demands and there was nothing anyone could do unless they wanted to say no to having pandas.

Pandas were very popular.

Over the past few years, Clark had been finding out that he needed to keep an eye on the growing tensions between the US and China. So far, nothing overt had happened, but it didn't take much for a third party to take advantage of it. To be honest, he had his suspicions that someone already was, and that person happened to be Metropolis' wealthiest bachelor. He just couldn't prove it right now, and until then, he would need to keep playing the part of an investigative journalist.

In a small crowd that consisted of mainly visitors and local reporters, the Daily Planet representative watched as the zoo's curator laid it on thick to the two Chinese officials, thanking them for loaning the pair of pandas that now the citizens of Metropolis had the honor of coming to see. Perhaps there would be a mating and new panda would be born, wouldn't that be nice?

Clark kept his eyes on the Chinese officials, both looking prim and proper and nodding their heads in acceptance of the gratitude. Clark's mind, on the other hand, was drifting off to other things that weren't mind numbingly dull.

If he made some effort, he could hear the clean up crews over by the Queensland bridge, securing and isolating the area and starting to remove whatever wreckage they could. They needed to make the West River accessible again so that marine traffic could continue down it, otherwise, the Hob's would be overrun and that would impact Metropolis as an international hub for trade.

Yes, he was more interested in the dynamics of international economics than the grand unveiling of a panda exhibit.

Beside him, Jimmy yawned. Normally, Clark would have frowned at the unprofessionalism, but he was in no place to reprimand. So he would overlook it, like he had many times before. Maybe that was why Jimmy seemed to like sticking close to him, outside of Lois of course.

"I think this might have been a mistake," the young photographer muttered.

Clark grunted in agreement, but said nothing else. Anything else would have been rude considering the setting. Speaking of which, one of the Chinese officials were speaking, and while his English wasn't bad, you could tell it was a second language that didn't see much use, and thus was slow and occasionally halting.

It really did seem like this was one of those days, and based on how it was going, it was going to keep going downhill. As much as Clark wanted to let his eyes close for a moment and get some wanted rest, he kept them open and tried to look as attentive as...as…

The Kryptonian frowned slightly. Something had caught his attention but it wasn't something here at the zoo. He focused on a burning sound, one he recognized as something that had entered the atmosphere. This was a sound he heard more often than you would think, but for the most part, he had learned which ones posed no threat and those that would be a problem. It was a bit odd, he noted, that Superman hadn't been contacted about a foreign object heading to Earth, meaning that whatever was now burning up had to be small.

Already, he could hear how the flames died down, and since there had been no alarm of any kind, the investigative journalist figured he could return back to the more...pressing matter. At least until he heard another sound pick up from where the burning ended. The best he could describe it was a low hum, one even his hearing had difficulty picking up and required concentration to follow.

Unexpectedly, it grew louder, then began to...spread? That didn't seem right...wait. Despite the spreading phenomenon, it seemed like part of the noise was getting louder, meaning it was heading in his direction. Then the telltale sign of wind friction could be identified, and Clark was soon able to figure out that whatever this was, it was small, and it was moving in a manner that was not normal for anything that had just passed through the planet's atmosphere.

Now he was on alert, and the journalist knew that this needed to be investigated. However, there was still this bit at the zoo that did not seem to be ending any time soon. Damn, and he—hold on.

"Does anybody else hear that?" That had come from one of the local reporters, and even though that man had muttered it, the humming sound that Clark had once detected sounded less like a hum and more like a propulsion system of some kind. And then whatever was the source of it rocketed overhead, a virtual blur even for the undercover Man of Steel.

By this point, everyone in the gathering, even the Chinese officials, and looked up and witnessed the sight as it traveled into the heart of Metropolis. Any interest in pandas was lost.

"What was that?" Jimmy gasped beside him.

"I'm going to give Perry a quick call. You stay here, alright?" Clark quickly excused himself, not giving his younger colleague a chance to argue with him as he slipped away.

Since everyone's eyes were not on him, it was easy for the disguised Kryptonian to get out of sight, and once he had, he was already opening up his dress shirt to reveal another uniform underneath, one mostly blue in color with a prominent red S on it.

* * *

The settlement from which the dominant species inhabited rushed beneath the form of the extraterrestrial figure. Noted were the various structures, buildings its databank supplied, and how they mostly were cubic rectangles that stretched up into the sky. This was common among many species, thus this particular piece of data was noted for its redundancy. Below in the gaps between buildings, members of the dominant species were navigating their way through the labyrinth of streets, their attentions on their daily tasks, with a few looking up to catching the rocketing form's passage above.

With the initial scan and survey completed, this probe began scanning for what was not as obvious, specifically any forms of communication or information-based signals that were invisible for most if not all organic eyes. For mechanical ones, it immediately found what it was looking for, then began the next part of the protocol, which was to identify the greatest source of the data-driven traffic.

Towards the middle of the settlement was a large, towering, black building, one that had a small, perpendicular extension at its base. However, the majority of traffic entered and left this particular location at an accelerated rate compared to the rest of the settlement. This would be its destination.

In mere seconds, the probe arrived on the roof of the black building, and a cursory scan led it to a mechanical receiving mechanism, one through which all the data traffic flowed into. It was primitive in its design, but would serve the probe well.

Raising a "hand" up, the "fingers" began to morph and stretch out, snaking their way to the reception device and exploring it, searching for any and all ports it could utilize. As always, it found what it was looking for, and in nanoseconds, it had access to everything passing though the receiver.

The next scan began, this time on the information and data. If there was anything in particular that it was searching for, that was kept to itself as it recorded everything it found. There would be no discrimination as this was not its task.

As the download continued, behind it, the settlement began to fluctuate. Despite the sunlight from the nearby star, much of the city's glow came from the manufactured lighting. Openings into the large structures revealed how some would darken and others would light back up, only for the reverse to happen.

This tended to be a side effect of extracture, the demand for information acquisition so great that it would interfere with the electrical infrastructure. There was no means to prevent it, and a solution had been discarded long ago for the sake of efficiency. Once it was done with its task, the interference would end and all normal processes would resume as if no interruption had occurred.

"Ahem."

An organic voice was detected. This was to be expected as this was not the first occasion for its data retrieval to alert the inhabitants. It was standard procedure for it to be prepared for any interference of its own.

While continuing the task, it rotated its waist and neck regions to search and identify the interloper. What it found was a being that it had seen many a time with the structure of a bipedal nature, five appendages that extended from the torso region, two on the bottom and three at the top. Follicles grew from the top most appendage where optic organs, nasal passages, and oral and auditory orifices were located.

The being, however, hovered in the air with no source of support. Again, such a phenomenon was not foreign to it. The outer garments, though, consisted of blue and red, and a symbol on the chest region. Automatically, a scan over the intruder commenced and a search for any redundancies were initiated.

"I'm going to have to ask what you think you're doing," the floating organism inquired, his arm appendages crossed over its pectoral region. Based on the vocal patterns, it was immediately identified as a male of the species.

"What I am doing is not any of your concern. Do not interfere with my task and you will remain unharmed." The ultimatum was delivered, but based on prior history, such ultimatums were consistently ignored.

"It is my concern when it affects Metropolis. Stop what you're doing before I have to take matters into my hands," the floating lifeform responded with his own ultimatum. Again, based on prior history, this was common.

Clenching a hand into a fist, the probe raised it up and leveled it at the lifeform—identifying data had just been retrieved and processed. This lifeform was known as "Superman." "I will defend myself if necessary. Do not interfere."

This Superman began to drift closer. "If you don't stop, then I will."

The probe's hand glowed with yellowed-colored energy then a burst was fired, impacting Superman and removing him from the rooftop. The lifeform gave out a cry as he disappeared from sight, allowing it to return to its task. Knowing how powerful the attack was, the probe was fully confident that the threat to its mission had been dealt with.

A hand clasping down on its shoulder, then forcefully turning it away from its data retrieval refuted that conclusion. Superman had returned, no signs of injury or harm detected, and his own fist racing forward to slam into the side of its head. The force was much greater than anticipated, and the probe was carried off its feet, flying into the air with enough force that the physical connection established with the information hub was terminated, the plugs yanking out of the ports.

Gravity soon asserted itself, and the probe began to descend, falling down towards the streets below. Emergency protocols activated, and its own levitation device ended the descent, acting much a jet stream that propelled it back up. Quickly, it rose higher and higher until it reached the same elevation as the rooftop where Superman awaited.

Emotions, however, were not known to it, so anger and frustration were not present when it spoke. "You are more resourceful than anticipated. If you wish to continue your interference, then I shall respond in turn."

"Show me what you've got," Superman retorted, readying himself for battle.

* * *

The alarms screamed, a klaxon flashing red. On the monitor screen, an image of the Earth appeared, several dots blinking repeatedly over specific areas.

"Is it an incursion?" Green Lantern demanded. He had pressed a hand on the back of the chair J"onn sat in, leaning towards the computer as he stared at the image.

"It would appear so," J'onn answered him even as he typed on the keyboard, his fingers a flurry of small jabs upon keys. "I am picking up multiple entries scattered worldwide." The planet image began to move, focusing on the United States specifically. "There are confirmed entries here," he said.

The map of the U.S. had the same dots flashing, though these weren't moving like the previous image. "I see one in Central City," the Martian listed off. "As well as Gateway City and Metropolis. The others appear to be close to populated areas, but it is unclear what their destinations are."

"We'll need to keep a link with the Watchtower to keep track of whatever those things are," Green Lantern said. "Superman and Wonder Woman are in their respective cities, so they should be able to handle whatever they are. Hawkgirl's in Midway; any word if one of those entries is near her location?"

"One moment." J'onn began typing again and the map zoomed in on the Midway area. There was a dot within the region, but it wasn't close to the city. "There was an entry nearby, but as of now we have no indication whatever the object is, if it is mobile, will enter the city limits."

"Which leaves Central City wide open for these things," Flash spoke up. "I say the three of us check that one out and make sure it isn't dangerous or anything. The others can hold their ground until we figure out if these things come in peace, or turn out to be...I don't know, mind-controlling starfish."

The other two Leaguers paused before looking at the speedster. "Where the hell did you come up with that?" John Steward demanded incredulously. "Was there some kind of monster movie marathon you were watching last night?"

"Actually, yeah, there was," Flash admitted, not the least bit taken aback by the attention he was receiving. "Only it was brussel sprouts in that movie. Believe you me, I ain't gonna take any chances after watching that."

John Stewart resisted the urge to slap his hand onto his face. "I shouldn't have asked," he muttered before he reasserted himself. "Alright, the three of us investigate the one in Central City. Hopefully this was just a meteor crash landing."

"And if it isn't?" the red-clad man asked.

"Then we determine if it's hostile or not. C'mon, Flash, you've been through enough of these to know where this is going to go."

"Hey, it never hurts to ask. For all I know, you've got some plan hidden up your sleeve and aren't telling the rest of us."

"That was just the one time, Flash."

"And once is all it takes."

What the two men were discussing was a small incident on one of their previous assignments. Green Lantern had taken it upon himself to become a double agent and hadn't told the rest of them. It had become a sore spot between him and Flash by their continued referencing. Deciding that subject did not need to be rehashed any further, J'onn stood up from his seat, interrupting their verbal jabbing. "The teleporter is online and should be fully charged when we get there."

Then without further preamble, the Martian stepped around his seat and made his way to the doors, the other two heroes following behind them. Now was the time for professionalism. There were responsible for the planet, after all.

* * *

"The quarterly reports are in and while the numbers aren't what we were hoping they would be, they're still a net positive," Lucius reported.

Bruce frowned as he looked at the report. Wayne Enterprises had been projecting at least a three percent increase, yet they were looking at 2.3. He knew one of their latest projects was going to increase their expenditures and cut into their revenue, but according to the report, that project was still under budget and looking to cost less than what the initial estimates were predicting.

"Any idea where we fell short?" the billionaire asked as he lowered the document down, looking to his top man. The two men were in the former Board of Directors boardroom, though the setting was slightly different. Gone was the long table and in its place was a shorter one, which the two men were seated at. The decor had been changed as well, creating a more relaxing environment to help lower the guards of prospective businessmen. It went without saying that it was also a final twisting of the knife for the former board members, all of whom had left the city in search of work.

"I've had the accounting department working day and night on that," Lucius answered him, reaching to the report and flipping over a couple pages. "As you can see, they've narrowed it down to these three projects."

Bruce glanced at them, frowning as he did so. "I thought we agreed to pull the plug on those projects."

"Apparently someone didn't think you were serious," the other businessman remarked. "The first two are pet projects of the project manager and the third one is something we've been pouring money in for over a decade. The engineers keep saying they're on the cusp of finishing, but they've as of yet haven't made that breakthrough."

"Then we have to put our foot down and make them stop," Bruce grumbled. "If they don't want to let go of those projects, then they're going to need to get their resumes ready."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Another round of layoffs, Bruce? Not a good idea, especially after the fall in confidence we had from the previous one. We were factoring that impact into the figure and weren't too far off."

"The reason we did that was because of all the bloat the Board stuffed into Wayne Enterprises," the young man responded. "Not to mention those firings were all people that had loyalties to the Board. Wayne Enterprises has been in a state of relative peace since."

"And we had to pay for that move with the hiring and training of new hires. Are you sure you want to fire these people."

"As long as they agree to join one of our other projects, they can stay. What I'm not going to do is keep pouring money into a money pit just because it's tradition. If they want that kind of environment, they can go work for the federal government."

Lucius chuckled. "I just wanted to make sure I knew your wishes, that's all Bruce. I'll make the arrangements if you like."

The younger man shook his head. "No, I think I'll handle this one Lucius. Apparently they need to see my face to get their acts together."

Instead of looking put off, the older man nodded his agreement. Though it wasn't his first choice, Bruce had indeed been a man of his word and assumed full control of his family's company, a consequence of himself being ousted and then hostilely taking it back. Whereas the Board of Directors helped run the company while he could fulfill the role as absentee owner, he no longer had that choice. Of course, this had a ripple effect into the other areas of his life.

But, it was something he didn't completely mind. For the first time in a long time, he had some semblance of balance in his life. He hadn't realized just how far into being Batman he had allowed himself to become. The focus on his night life had taken him away from his company and the lifestyle of Bruce Wayne. The first couple of charity balls and society galas he had attended had struck him hard as many of the attendees had commented on how they hadn't seen him in awhile.

It was a failure on his part to realize his neglect on that aspect of his life, albeit one he wasn't too fond of. He wasn't going to be making that mistake again.

That's when a loud _THUD _was made, causing both men to look up to the ceiling. "Did you hear that?" Lucius asked, a frown on his face.

Bruce nodded his affirmation. "I did. What do you think it was?"

Lucius shrugged his shoulders. "Maintenance?"

Suddenly, the lights began to flicker, which caused similar frowns to appear on their faces. "That doesn't seem like maintenance," the billionaire commented.

Lucius then reached to the intercom speaker on the table and pushed a button. "Gloria, can you find out what's going on with the lights?"

Much to their surprise, instead of hearing Gloria's voice, all they received in turn was high-pitched static. Hitting the button again, the dark-skinned man repeated, "Gloria?" Again, static. "Gloria?"

Suddenly, the doors to the boardroom flew open and in walked in Gloria. "I'm sorry, Sirs," she quickly apologized, bowing her head over and over. "But there's something weird going on with the computers. It's like they're all turning on and off or something."

Alright, that made three odd things. First the sound from the ceiling, then the intercom not working, and now the computers were on the fritz. "Thank you for informing us," Lucius told the secretary. "I want you to turn your computer off and spread the word to the rest of the building to do the same."

"Yes, Sir," Gloria replied before she quickly exited the room, closing the doors behind her.

"I think I'm going to have a look at what's going on upstairs," Bruce said as he stood up, a hand going up to his tie as he began to loosen it.

Lucius looked at him with surprise. "You're going to change suits?"

"I am. I think I'd rather overdress for the occasion."

* * *

FlackAttack: Naturally there will be some new faces. There will, hopefully, be some old faces that'll come as a surprise. Like this chapter. Probably didn't think Lucius would show up, but here he is. As for your theory on Flash's problem, an answer for another story I'm afraid. In regards to Wonder Woman, what "quest" do you think she's on? Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	4. Data Collectors

Data Collectors

Superman thought himself ready for this. He already had a taste of what this strange man could do, could see some of his capabilities already, and knew that that blast of energy needed to be watched for.

At the same time, he needed to make sure that this fight would cause as little damage to Metropolis as possible...though that might be a lost hope already. All of his fights tended to end in rampant property damage.

That was why he floated upwards, causing the odd man to follow him with his gaze, the strange head tilting back. At this angle, any long range attacks would go harmlessly into the sky.

And the Man of Steel was not wrong. The strange man raised his left hand up, balled into a fist which glowed with yellow-colored energy, and fired off another blast. Prepared this time, Superman dodged to a side, never taking his eyes off the man. The glowing fist followed him and fired off a second shot, which was again avoided.

Deciding not to give this man a third one, Superman lunged forward, clenching his hand into a fist which he swung. Having never taken his eyes off him, the strange man leaned back slightly, reducing the power behind the punch though the force behind the blow still pushed the man. Immediately, Superman recognized the feel of metal against his skin.

That had been the true goal of that punch. He had faced many enemies, some wearing protection and others not. Sometime the Kryptonian could tell by sight alone, others with a more in depth look thanks to X-ray vision, but other times, he wanted complete confirmation. The upper body was at the very least protected. This meant that he could put more force behind his hits.

All of these calculations and deductions occurred within the span of a couple seconds, and by the time he had reach his conclusion, Superman was throwing his second punch and landing it against the chest region. The intention was to dent or warp the metal as a way to demoralize this man.

Much to Superman's surprise, the metal protection did not yield to his strength. It must be made of a harder material, more enduring than what he typically encountered. His surprise, however, left him open if only for a second, but that was all that was needed. The strange man was taking his approach to fighting and was throwing his own punch.

Superman felt his head snap to a side. There had been quite some force behind that hit, meaning there was a lot of strength. Tack on another ability the Man of Steel needed to deal with.

Tensing his arm, the dark-haired guardian of Metropolis swung his fist into an uppercut, landing a hit not into a chin but the blank face that had showed no sign of emotion whatsoever. Now there was something on it, a grimace as eyes squinted shut and lips curled back. Superman pressed his advantage, throwing another punch and landing the hit, snapping the man's head to a side.

Completing a three-hit combo, Superman landed a third hit which threw the strange man back several feet. The man came to a stop, hovering in the air for a second before regaining his composure.

"You possessed augmented strength," the man commented, floating in the air with his back ramrod strength. "No artificial means detected. Conclusion: it is natural."

"What, were you testing me?" Superman demanded. While it hadn't been the first time, the man flat out stating it was.

"I exist only to collect data," the man stated. "No matter what form it takes, I will achieve my primary function."

Another blast of energy was fired, and again Superman dodged. That had been way too predictable. Then a second shot was fired and with a faster time than the Metropolian guardian had anticipated. Though made of energy, it felt like a strong punch, one that his tough body gave way to.

The third shot struck him in the chest, and the fourth twisted his torso to a side. He was feeling them now, really feeling. Through cracked open eyes, he could see the strange man was holding both of his hands up and was firing blasts of energy from both of them. Naturally, that's when the fifth blast hit him, and Superman began to fall, unable to concentrate enough to keep himself up in the air.

However, this was intentional, the blasts stopped momentarily, probably because his fall was being recorded as data. It did give him enough time to gain control and resume flight, adding some momentum to it as he rushed at the man with dubious motives.

It was a bit surprising to see the man lower his arms, but the reason became apparent when Superman found his charge was stopped by some invisible barrier—a force field. He bounced off of it like a ball off a brick wall, then was comboed with another blast of energy. This time his fall wasn't planned and ended when he landed on top of a roof.

Okay, he hadn't expected that…

As Superman picked himself up, it was only by his hearing that he detected the energy blast coming his way. The way the attack hissed and sizzled the air was distinctive, and one that he now had enough time to pick up on.

Rolling out of the way, the Man of Steel winced as the blast detonated on the roof, sending dust and sheetrock every which way. And now the damage to the city was beginning, something he had wanted to avoid. Nothing for it.

Bracing his arms, Superman gave a mighty push, throwing himself up into the air as another blast detonated where he had once laid. He spun, twisting his body to evade the next shot fired, then flew forward several feet before veering downwards. Pulling up and turning his body about, the Kryptonian made another rush, increasing speed so that he zoomed through the air and reached his opponent before another blast was fired.

With a punch, he decked the strange man once, then twice, then pulled back farther than usual to throw one more, dealing a strike that sent the man flying back at high speeds to crash into the side of the LexCorp building. It wasn't too surprising that the wall behind the man didn't cave in, what with the lead lining it also reinforced the structure. However, Superman wouldn't lose too much sleep; Luthor could definitely afford the damages.

Pulling himself out of the wall, the strange man stared him down with the same blank look. No damage could be seen either, something to peeve the dark-haired man, but not enough to make him drop his guard either.

"This continued resistance is accomplishing nothing. If you will not stand down, I will terminate your life," the strange man stated.

"You're not the first one to threaten me with death," Superman replied. Tensing his body, the Man of Steel readied himself for another round. "If you think you can, show me what you've got."

* * *

There wasn't any noticeable damage to Central City. Upon arrival, J'onn, Green Lantern, and Flash had searched for the landing site of the fallen object. There was no such impact zone, which left the three Leaguers searching the surrounding area.

The first thing J'onn had done was perform a mind sweep of the city. Perhaps someone in the city could provide information of a strange occurrence, or knew of the fallen object. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to have disturbed the inhabitants.

It was Green Lantern's ring that ended up giving them their first clue. "I got signs of infrastructure failure downtown," the dark-skinned man informed the other two Leaguers. "Computers are going down and firewalls are being breached."

"So?" Flash responded indifferently. "Computers crash all of the time."

"One or two, yeah, but all of them?" John Stewart challenged.

"Huh, good point. I'll go check it out."

Flash dashed away, wind pulling at J'onn's cape. "I believe it would be best if we went as well," the Martian suggested.

"Yeah. There's no telling what kind of trouble Speedy will get into," John Stewart agreed. His green aura enveloping, he then took to the air, J'onn keeping pace with him as they flew in the direction Flash had ran off to.

Moments later, they received a hailing over their comm links. _"Uhh, guys? You might want to come look at this,_" Flash said.

"We're in route," Green Lantern responded before picking up his speed. The two men flew until they found Flash. The red-clad hero was standing on top of a building and was staring at the base of a large satellite dish.

Immediately, J'onn saw what was captivating his friend. At the base of the dish was a strange-looking man. He wore some sort of purple bodysuit and there appeared to be some form of grey armor. He had an elongated head and he seemed to be focused on the satellite, sparks bursting in front of it.

"Any idea what this is?" Flash asked as Green Lantern and J'onn landed next to him.

"No idea," Green Lantern said before glancing to the Martian. "J'onn?"

"I do not know either, but I can remedy that." Orange eyes brightening as he began to probe with his mind, he was surprised to discover he could not read this man's mind. It was almost as if there were no mind, at least none that he could assess. Normally this was because of another telepath with their mental defenses up, but in this case he wasn't even sensing that.

"I...cannot read his mind," the Martian said with astonishment.

This got his friends' attention. "Say what?" Flash exclaimed. "Is he a telepath, or something?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"Then we do it the old-fashioned way," John Stewart said as he raised his ring hand. "We ask."

A beam of green light fired from his ring then. It passed right by the strange man before it suddenly formed a wall between him and the satellite dish, which consequently stopped the sparks.

The man stared at the green wall before he turned his head to the Leaguers, revealing a severe face with an odd pattern of circles on his forehead. There were three circles that formed a triangle, lines connected the bottom circle to the two higher circles. "You are interfering with my work," he said in a monotone voice. "Cease and desist."

"That's our words," Green Lantern retorted. "Tell us who you are and what you are doing."

"That is none of your concern." The man then raised an arm, pointing a fist towards them. Then a beam of yellow energy fired.

"Whoa!" John Stewart exclaimed as he darted to one side, dodging the beam. Scowling, he then wrapped his wall around the attacker, forming a large orb around him. "I'm taking you in, punk."

The man looked at the green enclosure around him. "You must be one of the fabled Green Lanterns." It turned its body to fully face the dark-skinned man, though his kept is raised fist up. Moving his other hand, he began tapping his fingers on a gauntlet that was wrapped around his wrist. "A simple calculation adjustment will suffice."

Then he fired another, much larger beam. Much to the surprise of the three Leaguers, it shattered the green construct with ease. John Stewart wasn't able to dodge this one as he took the full brunt of the blast, crying out as he was carried away through the air.

"Holy crap!" Flash exclaimed, his body twisted around to watch Green Lantern fly away. Then he spun back around to look at their opponent. "That wasn't nice, jerk!"

Then he took off running, rapidly closing the distance between him and the mystery man. Before the man could react, Flash threw a punch, slamming it right into his face. To J'onn astonishment, Flash suddenly stopped running, appearing in place in front of the man as he cried out, grabbing onto his hand as if he injured it. The man before him hadn't even flinched from the blow. "Super speed, though no corresponding enhancement in strength," the man spoke blandly. "You do not interest me."

Then the man crossed an arm over his chest before he swung it outward, nailing Flash with a backhand blow that sent him flying backwards through the air. J'onn watched his friend sail across the rooftop until he crashed onto the gravel, ensuring he wouldn't go pass the roof's ledge.

Returning his attention to the man, J'onn frowned. This person was full of unexpected surprises. He didn't seem phased by Green Lantern's power ring nor Flash's speed. His comment about Flash's lack of super strength was telling, however. If it was power he wanted, then he would get it.

Taking into flight, J'onn rushed the unknown man, throwing his own punch. The man took the blow to the face and immediately flinched from the force he was hit with, stumbling back a step. Much to J'onn surprise, his fist hurt. No wonder Flash had reacted as he had. However, he was not one to allow physical ailments to stun him. Throwing another punch, he knocked the man back even more.

Recovering, the man regained his balance as he regarded the Martian. "I have no knowledge of what you are," he said once again in that monotoned voice. "Tell me, what are you?"

"I believe we asked who you were first," J'onn replied with a hint of impetuousness in his tone.

Amazingly enough, the man seemed to agree with him. "I believe you are right. I am called Brainiac; now explain what you are."

For some reason, J'onn did not like the way this Brainiac was asking him about himself. "I do not believe I will," he responded curtly.

"Then I will have to extricate that information from you." Once again, Brainiac raised his fist up and fired a yellow blast. Eyes widening, J'onn immediately dodged to a side, avoiding the beam as it flew right by him. Leaping forward, he swung an arm up, his forearm colliding with Brainiac's and knocking it to one side. With his other hand, he threw another punch, one that slammed into the side of the man's head and forced him to stumble.

And then he recovered practically instantly. Before J'onn could react, Brainiac was throwing his own punch, ramming it right into the Martian's face. The power behind the hit caught him off guard, causing him to stumble backwards as he cried out.

With the same fist, Brainiac held it extended before him. An energy blast fired then, blasting into J'onn face. This time the green-skinned man was sent sailing through the air, coming to land on his back on the roof, skidding across it until he came to a stop. Wincing from what felt like burnt flesh, J'onn squeezed his eyes shut as he weathered the pain, slowly opening them.

And Brainiac was standing in the same place, arm raised as a yellow orb of energy glowed around his hand. "This is your last opportunity to cooperate," he informed the Martian. "I would hate to miss the chance to study you."

Before J'onn could respond, a red blur suddenly rushed in. Running right into Brainiac, the man was suddenly yanked off the ground by his arm, spinning around until he was just a purple blur around the spinning red one.

Then the blurring stopped as Flash appeared in sight, his arms extended out in front of him and Brainiac flying through the air. It took a moment for J'onn to realize that Flash had run in, grabbed Brainiac by his arm and spun him around rapidly before throwing him away. Eyes watching the strange man, he ended up disappearing over the edge of the building.

Flash was then at his side. "You okay, J'onn?" he asked.

"I am alright," the Martian responded. "Though why did you throw Brianiac off the building?"

"That guy took a couple of punches from you, J'onny boy. I'm certain a fall from this height won't kill him."

"You are most correct."

Both Leaguers whipped their heads around. Hovering in midair was Brainiac, flames from rockets emerging from his feet. "Oh great, he can fly too," Flash complained.

Once again, Brainiac took aim with his arm, his hand glowing with energy. The moment he fired, Flash grabbed onto J'onn and the world around them blurred. Carrying J'onn, flash ran to the other side of the building then over the ledge. The world turned ninety degrees as he ran then down the side of the building.

However, the moment they reached the street, an energy beam collided with the pavement, erupting in an explosion. Unable to avoid it, the force of the explosion hit the two Leaguers, causing them to both cry out as they were thrown in two different directions.

Hitting the asphalt, J'onn bounced off of it several times before he went into a roll, and finally stopped. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to lay there and recover as a car horn blared. Jerking his head, he saw an oncoming car bearing down on him.

Though he was in no real risk, he could not say the same about the driver. Immediately, J'onn liquefied his body and stretched it out as far as he could, forming a large, green puddle on the road. The car ran over him, the tires rolling over his skin and then it was gone. Reforming, J'onn took that moment to form himself in a standing position.

"Fascinating." Tilting his head up, he saw Brainiac descending to street level. "You have the ability to alter the density of your mass seemingly at will. I must know how you do this."

"I am inclined not to assist you," J'onn replied as he turned to fully face this man. "It is evident to me that you are hostile."

"To the contrary, I am only defending myself. It was you and your companions that interfered with my work."

"And what work is that?"

Brainiac stared at him before replying, "I am in the midst of accumulating the universe's greatest source of knowledge. I wish to study and examine everything, from the various planets, suns, societies, and peoples that exist, or have ever existed."

That sounded rather grand, but J'onn could not help but see a flaw in this claim. "So why are you damaging a satellite?"

"How else are you able to study something? It order to learn, one must dissemble the unknown to its most basic parts."

Suddenly, J'onn felt a chill run down his spine. He had a growing suspicion that from the way this man wanted to study him was by taking him apart much like that satellite. "Then I highly suggest you find another way," he informed the man.

"There are no other sufficient ways. I have studied hundreds of methods and have come to the conclusion this is the most efficient and effective method of study."

Suddenly, a green construct in the form of a battering ram slammed into the side of Brainiac. The force of the hit sent the man flying through the air until he crashed into the side of the building. "Back off, creep," John Stewart demanded as he flew into sight, his green construct dissipating.

Leaning up against the building, Brainiac lingered there for a moment before he straightened his posture and turned to face the two Leaguers. Oddly, there were some cracks on the side of his face, something that did not look natural at all. That caused both J'onn and John Stewart to frown. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" the dark-skinned man asked.

"I believe I am," the Martian responded.

"Hold off for a moment. I want to try something."

Flying towards Brainiac, Green Lantern held his ring hand at the fore. The man simply raised his hand up again, clearly intending on firing another energy blast.

The moment he did, Green Lantern dodged to a side, avoiding the beam. That was when he formed a construct, a sharp-looking blade emerging right out of his ring. With a swing of his arm, he struck the side of Brainiac's forearm, the green blade biting into the appendage and slicing right through it.

Brainiac's hand went flying off, wires and gears appearing out of the man's stump. A robot. This Brainiac person was a robot.

"A robot," Green Lantern echoed the green-skinned man's thoughts. "I should have known."

"Yes, you should have," Brainiac agreed right before he threw his other fist, this one ramming right into John Stewart's abdomen. Caught off guard, John Stewart gasped as the air in his lungs was forced out, leaving him dazed and breathless.

Steeling his facial features, J'onn felt this fight had gone on long enough. It was clear that this robot was not going to give them any further information than it already had. His eyes brightening with white light, the Martian did not hold back as he fired his Martian Vision.

The white beam burned through the air until he collided with Brainiac's head. The blast ripped the robot's head clean off its shoulders, leaving it headless. For several moments, it just stood there, toppling over into a heap on the ground.

Standing hunched over was Green Lantern as he caught his breath. "Damn...that thing...hits hard," he gasped.

"Breathe easy," J'onn told him as he strode up to him.

Flash suddenly appeared not to them. "What is that thing made of?" he asked, rubbing a hand against the side of his head. "It's nothing from here that I know of."

"More importantly, there might be more of these things," Green Lantern pointed out as he straightened out his posture. "Remember we detected multiple objects falling to Earth. The others might not know."

"And they'll hold back like we did when we first ran into it," Flash surmised. Moving his hand to his ear, he then said, "I'll call the others."

Before he could so much as activate his comm link, a sharp, piercing sound rang in all three Leaguers' ears, causing them all to cry out from pain.

"I do not believe I will allow you to do that." To their surprise, that voice came from the headless body of Brainiac. A beeping sound started up, beeping at even intervals. "I have taken the liberty of jamming your radio frequencies. I will not allow you to interfere with my task any more than you already have."

"Great, then that means we have to go warn the others in person," Green Lantern growled.

"Where are the others again?" Flash asked. "Are they in their hometowns?"

"I believe they are," J'onn said. Faintly, he was listening to that beeping sound, noticing the intervals between beeps was shrinking. "That would place them in Gateway, Metropolis, and Midway."

"Gateway is the furthest from here. I'll go help Wondy," Flash volunteered.

"Good idea," Green Lantern agreed. "How about you—?"

By this point, J'onn noticed the beeping intervals had decreased until there was a steady stream of beeps. That could only mean one thing. "Everyone! Move!" he interrupted his friend. Not needing any further warning, the three Leaguers took off, Flash running while Green Lantern and J'onn taking to the air.

A moment later and Brainiac's body exploded. The blast wasn't as big as the Martian suspected, though the smoke cloud that covered the area was thick. Considering the explosion was right next to a building, J'onn eyed the structure noticing it was not so much as swaying. Using his telepathy, he searched the building, finding that there were indeed people on the other side of the wall from the explosion. From their thoughts, he discovered only startlement. There was no sign of destruction inside the building, but the people inside had clearly heard the blast.

So, the explosion was meant to only destroy the robot's body. While that was a stroke of luck, that did not mean it was the same with the other potential robots. "We need to get going—now," J'onn told Green Lantern. "The others may be in great danger."

* * *

It had been fortunate that Diana had been in Gateway when it had come under attack. While her use of modern day electronics was casual, the disruptions to them had gained her attention and then required her intervention.

The sight of a man in silver and purple had been a dead giveaway that he had to be the one responsible. Diana had never seen him before and the fact that he was accessing a panel with long cable-like protrusions from his fingers on top of the city's broadcasting hub made him as prime a suspect as any.

Wonder Woman had given her ultimatum. The man had responded in an odd yet bland voice that told her with no uncertain terms that he was not going to stop. It was the best confession she would get, so she slipped out the Lasso of Truth to deal with him.

With movements so gracefully mastered, she threw the glowing rope over and onto the man, one pull tightening the loop around him and the second pull yanking him away from the panel. The native of Themyscira frowned as she noticed how those protrusions stretched out from that hand and remained attached to the panel.

"What is the meaning of this?" blue-green skinned man demanded, turning only his head to face her.

"I demand to know what you are doing," Wonder Woman stated, tightening her grip on the lasso and placing her will and thirst for knowledge onto it.

The man only responded with, "What I am doing does not concern you. Leave me to my data acquisition unless you wish to face retaliatory measures."

The Lasso would compel any to answer with only the truth, yet the enchanted rope continued to glow and the man showed no discomfort whatsoever. Even as she increased the intensity of the Lasso's compelling nature, no further answers were forthcoming. How this could be stumped the dark-haired heroine, but epiphany came to the rescue in a timely manner.

The Lasso could compel truth from those who were living, ergo, this man was not living. The way those protrusions continued to extend from his hands and attach to the panel were much like cables, or cords. Include the tone of voice he used that was much too flat for any human, and that could only mean this man had to be an automaton.

Gripping the glowing rope, Wonder Woman gave a mighty heave, turning and pulling the lasso over her shoulder. This forced the automaton to come flying towards her, and she stopped its flight with a high kick into the stomach region. A tremor reverberated up her leg, and she winced at the shock, but did not let up.

Looping the lasso around an elbow, it freed one hand that she used to uppercut the man-like robot, leaving an opening for her to land a spin-kick into his side, knocking it to a side. Still, those long protrusions remained but not for long. With one hand still wrapped with her lasso, she gripped the long cables tightly, then reached out to a further point along them and grabbed hold there. Bringing her hands as close together as she could, Wonder Woman pressed her feet down, grinding her heels into sheetrock, twisted her torso as far as she could make it, and applied as much force as she could until the cords were torn out of the panel. Sparks and electrical flares sputtered from the disconnected ends, a sign of success.

"AAH" the Amazonian warrior cried out as something burning slammed into her.

A fist that was covered in a yellow glow of energy remained aimed at her. "Your interference will not be tolerated," the automaton stated, getting back onto its feet.

Grimacing, Wonder Woman got back onto her feet in a swift maneuver, the fingers of her right hand twitching. Of all the days to forget her sword; her hand was desperate to grip the pommel but could only be frustrated by that knowledge. Then she clenched it into a fist.

Deep down, Diana was a warrior, and the lack of a weapon would not deter her from fighting for what was right. Besides, she had the lasso, and that could be used in a number of ways. On top of that, her martial prowess was not to be underestimated, even by herself.

"Whatever attack you place on this city will not be tolerated either," she retorted, taking up a defensive stance.

"Whatever effects that occur here are incidental and nonlife threatening," the man responded.

"Tell that to the hospital that required constant power to operate." The massive infirmaries where the sick congregated held a soft spot for her, especially the one dedicated to children. Many a time she had paid a visit, in her current regalia, to lift the spirits of those within. What this man considered harmless posed too great a risk to everyone in those centers of health.

"Some risks must be taken in services of a grander purpose. Sometimes harm is unavoidable. There is no logical reason to limit one's self if the end is justified by its mean." There was no change in the man's voice, only infuriating calm and detached reason.

"What grander purposes allows harm to children?" Wonder Woman demanded. "No, do not answer. I don't care. I will not allow you to continue what you are doing."

That brought about the narrowing of the man's eyes. "If you insist on interfering, then I shall terminate your continued existence. You will not stop me from fulfilling my objective."

It was plain to see that no amount of talking or reasoning was going to change this man's mind. For her next response, the dark-haired Amazon charged forth, swinging a fist forward. To her satisfaction, she struck a blow to the man's face, which felt more satisfying than she had anticipated. Seizing the moment, she threw a second punch and landed the blow to his head. The man snapped to a side, his face scrunched up into a grimace.

Wonder Woman attempted a third strike, but then the man recovered and caught her fist, a surprisingly large hand wrapping around hers. "Your primitive attacks will accomplish nothing."

However, the heroine was not remaining still; already swinging her lower body about so that she could raise a leg up high enough to slice it through the air, landing the kick she intended to make. She was slightly disappointed when the man made no grunt, but the way her leg had managed to reach up to his shoulder gave her an idea.

Leaning back as much as she could, the Amazonian warrior, slipped her other leg upwards and managed to bring both of her thighs together, wrapping them around the man's head. Relying more on her Gods' blessed strength, Wonder Woman threw herself back as far as she could and managed to bring her legs forward. This had the effect of pulling the man off his feet, his head propelled forward until it slammed into the floor.

Propping her body up with one arm, Wonder Woman made to get back onto her feet, but was restricted by the fact that the man's hand had not released hers. Then the fingers that latched onto her began to stretch, forming those cables she had seen earlier. However, instead of going for the panel, they wrapped around her instead. Around and up her arm, over her shoulder, slithering about her torso, they continued to stretch.

Yes, she tried to struggle, but found herself unable to stop what was happening.

"Your methods are as primitive as your reasoning," the man stated as he pulled his head out of the floor. "Since you will not obey ultimatums, I will try a different approach."

All the while, Wonder Woman grunted as the cable-like fingers began to wrap around her throat.

* * *

The perpetrator stood in a rather inconvenient place.

There was a storage unit on the roof, built into the very base of the building's antenna. The man in the steel armor and purple jumpsuit was positioned within sight of this unit, though his attention was on a panel.

For Bruce, that meant he had no access to his armor and weapons—at least, those specific ones. Luckily he had another unit he had access to, its location best left unsaid. Seated on top of an A/C unit, Batman observed the reason his building was having its firewall breached and the software hacked.

Incredibly enough, there was no equipment on his man, if he was indeed one. Its hand was jammed into the panel, though the hand looked more like a series of cables and wires. Was he a cyborg like Victor Stone? An android? There were a limited number of possibilities.

However, his chief objective was to get this thing out of his servers. There was only a couple reasons for this breach and that was mostly corporate espionage. Like hell he would allow his company's work and research to be stolen right out from under him.

Pulling at a bat-shaped shuriken, he sent it flying at the suspect, aiming for the hand that was attached to the panel. Much to his surprise, the projectile ricocheted off the cables rather than severing them, a sharp ping ringing out from the collision.

However, this caused the person to turn their elongated, blue head to look in his direction. He didn't look perturbed by his presence. "Do not interfere," he warned the vigilante. "I have much work to do and your presence will only delay the inevitable."

Inevitable? Right. If this guy was a cyborg, no doubt he had a hard exterior. The connecting cables was proof of that. Pulling out another shuriken, Batman pressed his thumb onto the base, holding it until a red light flickered from the projectile. Throwing it, this time he aimed for the man's body, the shuriken arching through the air and then closing right in on the suspect's stomach.

The moment it collided, the shuriken exploded. A thick cloud of smoke enveloped the man, hiding him from sight. Watching intently, Batman waited for the smoke to dissipate.

The moment it did, he saw the man standing in the same position, not the least bit affected. "This is your last warning," he told him, not even looking in his direction. "If you do not cease your actions, I will have to terminate you."

Batman narrowed his eyes. His explosive shuriken hadn't worked. That was a first. This son of a bitch was sturdier than he had thought. Unfortunately, every second it remained connected to the mainframe was allowing it that continued access and that was becoming more and more unacceptable.

So if he couldn't dislodge the perp…

Pulling out another explosive shuriken and activating it, he threw it not at the robot man, but the panel itself. It struck the panel as one end embedded itself into the metal frame. A moment later and it exploded, a rush of sparks washing over the robot in turn.

There, with the panel destroyed, there was no way this guy had further access.

Standing eerily still, the man didn't so much as budge as smoke poured into his face. Then he turned to face the still crouching vigilante. "That was an ill-advised course of action," he spoke. "You did not heed my warning and now to ensure the completion of my objective, I am forced to terminate your existence."

Then the man raised a hand up, a first formed. His blue skin then glowed a bright yellow just before he fired a beam of energy at the dark-clad man. Immediately, Batman dove off the A/C unit, the beam ripping through the metal frame, causing an explosion to ring out. Landing on his feet, Batman caught sight of his foe moving his fist to take aim again. Taking off into a run, he raced for the base of the antenna, even as the man fired blast after blast after him. The beams hit the roof a step or two behind the running vigilante, stopping the moment he passed out of sight, though a blast clipped a corner of the base.

Jumping at the last moment, Batman grabbed onto the top of the base with his hands, his feet slapping down on the cement wall. Hauling himself up onto the base, the moment he was on his feet, he was digging into his belt. This time, he pulled out what appeared to be two grey globs, a timer face stuck into them. These were C4 explosives, primed and ready for use. Quickly, he turned the timer faces to one side, which caused numbers to begin flashing on the timer. He stopped when the number ten was visible on both.

Creeping forward then, he moved to the edge of the antenna base, finding his opponent walking next to it, moving to round the corner. Readying himself, Batman then dove off the antenna base, going head first as he extended his hands out in front of him. He stuck the C4 explosives onto the robot's back, arms bending to better absorb the collision between the two. Then he pushed off the man, going into a flip over his head and landing in front of him in a crouched position.

Batman then pivoted on one foot, sticking a leg. As he spun, he swung his foot in a wide arc until it collided with his foe's legs. Though an explosive did not work, his kick hit the side of the man's knee, causing it to buckle. It was nice to see that whatever this thing was, it had the same structural weaknesses as a human being.

The robot actually gave out a cry of surprise as it toppled over backwards, landing on his back. Immediately, Batman then darted around the corner of the antenna base, taking cover behind it. In a few more seconds, the ten second timers would hit zero and—

That was when a powerful explosion rang out, sending a cloud of black smoke and red fire high into the air. The building shook beneath the vigilante's feet, causing him to brace himself against the wall behind him. Smoke rushed around the corner, reaching out in all directions.

Batman stayed where he was for several moments. Once he was sure the explosion had caused the roof to cave in, he began to edge himself to the corner of the antenna base. Looking around it, he only saw a dark cloud of smoke rising, flashes of fire still burning. No doubt the area was singed black from the flames, but it wasn't anything that couldn't—

Suddenly a fist burst out of the smoke, slamming right into Batman's face. The force of the blow was incredible! Pain exploded throughout the vigilante's face as he was sent flying backwards through the air, blood and spit erupting from his mouth.

The dark-clad man landed back on the roof, skidding across it on his back for several feet until he came to a stop. Wincing, Batman looked over a shoulder, repressing a shudder as he realize just how close he was to the roof's edge. He was within a foot of it, nearly falling off of the building.

Turning his head back to the smoke, he saw the robot emerge into sight, looking no worse for wear. "Your attempts at survival are meaningless," he informed him. "Accept your death willingly."

Like hell he would. Bearing his teeth, before the robot tried to shoot another energy beam at him, Batman rolled away from him, going over the edge of the roof and allowing gravity to drop him to the street far, far below.

* * *

FlackAttack: Yep, that's the quest. As for your concern for Batman, I think this chapter just answered that. These are some space-age robots, nothing like you would see from LexCorp or anything. So yeah, they can take a hit and dish out some pain.


	5. Getting a Handle

Getting a Handle

The energy blast raced through the air. Seeing it coming a mile away, Shayera swooped out of the way, dodging it as it passed by harmlessly.

The source of the blast stood at street level, an arm raised and pointed in her direction. Further down the street were damaged buildings, including a broken fire hydrant that was spewing out a geyser of water.

Yeah, what had started as a simple crime-in-progress had turned into an all-out brawl. Funny how those seemed to happen around the Thanagarian with a certain regularity. Soaring through the air, the winged woman began directing her flight towards the strange man.

In response, he fired another blast, which she nimbly dodged. Beam after beam was sent racing towards her, Shayera swinging from side to side as she avoided them. Her mace was held by her hip with both hands, ready to be used.

Then she tucked her wings in and sped forward rapidly, "Haaaaaaa!" she shouted as she swung her mace, hitting the man's arm and knocking his blasting hand away. With a quick backswing, she nailed her target against his face, snapping his head to one side. Back and forth she swung her mace, each blow causing the man to stumble a step backwards.

Suddenly, the blue-skinned man shot a hand up, one that grabbed onto her right wrist, stopping her attack. "A crude mode of attack," he mused even as he drew his other hand back. "Effective so long as the target is unable to retaliate."

Then it threw its fist, one that slammed right into Shayera's face. The force of the blow was astounding as stars exploded before her eyes. Fortunately the man didn't hang onto her arm, which allowed her to fly backwards through the air.

Even as she careened through the air, the winged woman cracked an eye open. Only an idiot allowed himself to take his eyes off an enemy. Because of this, she saw another energy blast be fired from her foe, one that rammed right into her and carried her further and faster across the city. She finally came to a stop when her back crashed into a building, a spider's web of cracks forming from the impact. Gravity then set in and she fell to the ground, landing in a heap.

"Oww," she moaned as she laid there, taking a moment before she began to push herself back up. That had hurt. Baring her teeth, she forced herself back onto her feet, squeezing her hands tightly around the shaft of her mace.

Alright, playtime was over. This guy had some surprising strength and she was feeling it right now. No more Ms. Nice Hawkgirl. Looking down the street, she saw her foe calmly approaching her, his feet moving at a steady pace.

Electricity began to dance all over the head of her mace. The sight of this caused the man to stop his approach. "An unexpected phenomenon," he remarked.

Shayera then launched herself forward, yelling a war cry. In response, the man raised his blasting hand again and fired a large beam. Immediately, the Thanagarian swung her electrified mace, hitting the blast and knocking it up into the air. Timing herself perfectly, she swung the mace again, hitting the man against the side of his face.

This time, the guy's entire body was forced to a side, causing him to lean to better balance himself. Swinging the mace upward, she landed another blow just beneath his chin, snapping his head upward. Leaning backwards, Shayera then raised a foot up before snapping it forward, ramming a kick right into the man's abdomen and forcing him back several steps.

Leaping up into the air, Shayera held her electrified mace high above her head. Dropping back down, she swung her weapon, aiming to bash the man on the face.

At least, that was her plan. Almost inhumanly fast, his arms shot up and crossed over each other, forming an X. Her mace then collided with the blocking arms, stopping her blow from landing. "An unexpected development," she heard the man say, though there was something different with his voice. Peering around his arms, the redhead was surprised to find his face appeared broken, revealing a skeleton of metal.

Holy crap, this was a robot!

"I would very much like to study the properties of your mace," it droned on. "Your assistance, while welcomed, is not necessary."

"Like hell!" she exclaimed before she drew a leg back before swinging it forward and beneath its crossed arms. Her knee rammed right underneath its chin, causing its head to tilted backwards, though not nearly as far as her mace had.

That was when electricity began to spark out from the broken side of the robot's face, right before the electricity poured out and surrounded its body. The voltage struck the winged woman's body, frying her as it absorbed into the parts of her body touching the thing.

Crying out, she lost her concentration and collapsed to the ground, smoke wafting up from her body. Drawing a foot back, the robot then swung it forward, landing a kick to her face, which once again sent her flying backwards until she landed back on the ground.

Alright, now she was really hurt. Wincing, the Thanagarian was slow to pick herself back up, only managing to push her upper body up. This allowed her to see the robot holding both of its arms up, one hand fiddling with something on its opposite arm.

Then it took aim at her. "The power behind this attack will be more than enough to incinerate you while leaving your weapon unscathed. Your presence is no longer required."

"Back off, gruesome!"

Suddenly, a green locomotive crashed right into the robot, knocking it off its feet. The old time train carried the machine all the way until it collided with a building.

Coming to a stop, the train then lifted up into the air, turning until its front was facing the ground. Then it rushed forward and crushed down on the robot.

Finally, the construct faded away. Turning her head, Shayera saw John coming in for a landing, touching down on the ground next to her. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

"I've been better," she winced as she gingerly got onto her feet. "You sure took your time getting here."

"Flash, J'onn, and I ran into another one of these guys in Central City earlier. We split up to come help the rest of you."

"I have the entire situation under control, you know."

"Of course you do, I just—"

Turning away from the Green Lantern, the Thanagarian marched right up to the robot, which was starting to push itself up with its arms. Holding her mace up with both hands, activating its electricity, she then swung it down, crushing its head with one blow, then two. She added a third to ensure the head was nothing more than scrap metal. There were a few twitches with the robot's body, but it didn't try to get up again.

"See?" she said snidely to her compatriot.

"Yeah, I see," he replied deadpanned.

* * *

Wonder Woman wasn't panicking, even as the metal-based bindings gripped her in their thrall. Her current predicament reminded her of a time when had found herself struggling against the snakes of Medusa, and no, she would not explain how that one came about.

Unlike the snakes, full of lethal poison and trying to bite her, these cables seemed to be only trying to restrain her. Moving about, they restricted her movements, pressing against her at key points. Slowly, her struggles began to lessen, her squirming reducing in their resistance.

"Release me!" she grunted, refusing to yield.

"Negative. You have expressed antagonism to my objective. Your intrusion will not be tolerated." If anything, the cables tightened their hold.

"These bindings...will not...hold me!" a snarl responded to the refusal.

"Perhaps. But restraining you indefinitely is not my intention," the man agreed. From the knuckles of his hands, electricity flared then sped along the cables until they reached the bound heroine.

A cry escaped her lips, one that Diana was not proud of. However, she was unable to hold back the scream that followed as the electric current continued flowing into her. Between the crackling and the agonized breaths she somehow managed to take, Wonder Woman was able to hear the man finish his commentary.

"It is much simpler to terminate you."

Despite the pain, she would not give in. No, this was not the way a warrior like her would end. There were too many people counting on her to give in to oblivion and make the final trek to the River Styx. She had to keep fighting, but if only she could free herself—!

The only thing that gave away what happened next was the bare whisper of a whoosh, several, rapid clinking sounds, then a sudden descent that was stopped by a pair of arms.

"That was a close one, Wondy! Good thing I'm light on my feet, eh?"

"Flash?" Wonder Woman cracked open her eyes—when had she closed them?—and caught the sight of the scarlet speedster himself. Immediately, her gaze darted to the robotic man that had once held her because it was never reasonable to take your eyes off your enemy.

Sparks flared out from the long, cable-like fingers, each cable looking as if they had been torn apart while still connected to the hand, and now limply hung from its hand. Infuriatingly, the automaton's face kept the same blank, emotionless look that it had possessed for the entire fight.

"Looks like you've been having a tough time here. Not to worry, we'll make quick work of this guy and then go for the next one," Flash continued to speak, his back turned to the robot. A part of Wonder Woman wanted to reprimand him for placing himself in such a position, but she knew he was fast enough that he would be able to avoid anything coming at him from behind.

Then she picked up on what he said. "Next one? There are others?"

"Yeah, so let's take this one down—"

The world blurred for a second, the detonation of an explosion following an instant later. Their opponent was not going to make it easy for them.

"You are one of the three that interfered in Central City. Your speed, while impressive, has limited effect over my body. Whatever aid you render here will be miniscule," the automaton stated, an arm extended and a hand covered in energy.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that," Flash replied flippantly as he stood to his full height. Wonder Woman slowly, but successfully, got back onto hers. "Came up with something I want to try out. Hope you'll stay still."

Whatever the robot would say next would never be known, for the Flash did not give him the time to speak. A red blur zoomed into close quarters, and appeared to stand in front of the automaton. However, the Amazonian warrior knew that the speedster was doing nothing of the sort. He was practically vibrating in place with his legs while his upper body seemed to stretch out. There was a constant hum of thuds, a din that made the dark-haired woman think that her fellow Justice League teammate punching the surface of the robot's chest.

But why? Even her strength had accomplished little with that approach. She knew for a fact that Flash did not possess her strength, and the automaton seemed to know it too, what with somehow identifying the self-proclaimed fastest man alive without having met him until now.

Abruptly, Flash pulled back, returning to Wonder Woman's side. "Okay, your turn. Hit him as hard as you can, preferably in the chest."

The dark-haired warrior raised an eyebrow in askance, but trusted that her teammate had a plan. Zeroing in on the center of the robot's chest, she tensed the muscles in her arm, readying herself for the instructed attack. The robot, though was firing another energy blast, which forced her to go on the move. There was no more time for planning, it was all about reacting until she could get close.

She dodged a couple more blasts, anticipating where they would be going and moving accordingly. Closer and closer did her opponent come, standing still as it continued to fire its attacks on her. When she entered close range, Wonder Woman threw her arm back then swung it forward with all her might, giving a war cry as she did so.

Before, the metal that made up this robotic man would have absorbed or deflected the force behind her blows. This time, her fist pierced through the armor with the greatest of ease. Only now did she notice the multitude of dents, ones that Flash had to have made during his assault. Her hand met something deep within the pierced chest, and without a second thought, she yanked her hand out, pulling what looked to be a core of sorts out.

The automaton's heart.

"System...failure…" the robot slurred, its movements becoming more jerky with each passing second. The Amazon pulled away, watching it warily. "Self...des...uct...error...shut…"

With a loud boom, it fell to the floor, deactivated.

"Nice!" Flash cheered, at her side suddenly and expectedly.

"What did you do?" she asked immediately, her curiosity overwhelming her exhaustion.

"Hit it about a million times, attacked the crystalline atomic structure, weakened the bonds, no biggie," Flash remarked. "The trick was doing it fast enough that the Terminator here missed half of them. Otherwise, I don't think he would have let me get away with it all."

"I do not know how you came up with such a stratagem, but I am thankful nonetheless." She shared a soft smile with the talkative man, showing her appreciation of his help.

"What can I say, sometimes I get ideas," Flash dismissed. "Right now, we got a bunch more to find. Think you can keep up?"

Recalling the confirmation of this fact from earlier, Wonder Woman's eyes alit with determination. "We will find out what their purpose is later. We need to stop what they are doing before they place other lives at risk." She tightened the fist of her free hand, being mindful of the core she still held in the other.

With a carefree smirk, Flash said, "Then let's get to it."

* * *

The wind pulled at Batman as he fell through the air. This wasn't too worrisome. Calmly, he reached to the back of his belt and pulled out his grapple gun, firing it at a building across the street, the grapple claw attaching itself to an anchor point. The moment the line went taut, he went swinging through the air.

That was when an energy blast shot right by him, hitting the street below where it exploded.

Of course this couldn't be simple. That strange robot was going to try and kill him, though it would find its efforts to be in vain. Arching upward in his swing, he landed on top of the same building his grapple had attached to, releasing the claw so that the line would return to the grapple. Turning his head, he looked back to Wayne Enterprises.

Much to his surprise, the blue-skinned robot was flying towards him, rocket boosters firing from its feet. Oh great, so this mechanical man was capable of flight. With a raised arm, it fired another yellow beam.

Taking off running, Batman avoided the blast as it detonated where he had once stood. A roof access was nearby and he took cover behind it, a hand reaching to his belt. For a moment, he hesitated above the pouch where his shuriken were located. So far, they hadn't done much save for the exploding ones; unfortunately, he had a limited supply of those. He needed to try something else.

Before he could make a decision though, his foe suddenly flew into view, firing another blast. Instinctively, the vigilante ducked, the beam ripping into the roof access. Darting forward, he ran beneath the mechanical man, raising up his grapple and firing it up at it.

The grapple claw struck the robot's outstretched arm, latching onto it. Adjusting his grip on the grapple gun while grabbing the line itself, Batman pulled down on it as hard as he could, succeeding in only pulling the hovering man's arm down.

"A useless effort," the robot remarked before it pulled his arm back. However, the strength it had used was much greater than the Dark Knight had expected and he found himself being yanked off the ground, hurling upwards towards his opponent. Dropping his arm, the blue-skinned robot drew back it other, throwing a perfectly timed punch.

At least, it would have been perfectly timed had Batman not shot a hand up, his hand wrapping around his foe's wrist. Immediately he was swinging his body out of the way of the punch, flipping his lower body upwards. Swinging a leg, he kicked the mechanical man's head, only to feel pain run up and down his leg, and causing the robot to tilt slightly to one side.

Alright, that hadn't gone as planned—time for Plan B. Tightening his grip on the robot's wrist, the dark-clad man lashed out with his legs, wrapping them around his opponent's head to hold himself in place. With his other hand, he shoved it into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a small, futuristic grenade.

Then he abruptly let go of the floating man, beginning to fall back to the roof as he did so. However, Batman threw his grenade right at the blue-skinned robot's blaster hand, where it erupted into a cloud of blue gas.

For once, a startled expression appeared on the robot's face as it stared at the dissipating cloud. Soon, it found its hand encased in ice, thanks to the Freeze grenade. In the meantime, Batman flipped his body in midair until his feet were below him, his hands grabbing onto the edges of his cape to form a parachute, slowing his descent until he landed back on the roof.

"Intriguing," the robot intoned as it studied its ice-encased arm. "I was unaware humanity had such technology. I must learn more."

Then its hand began to glow within the ice, steam beginning to waft up from the ice block until it fractured and then broke apart. All the while, he lowered itself through the air until it landed with a thud on the roof. Well, that had only provided a small distraction. Damn, what else could the Dark Knight do against this thing?

Again reaching to his belt, he pulled out a number of shuriken. If this didn't work, then he didn't know what else he could do. Sweeping his arms out in front of him, he sent a storm of bat-shaped shuriken flying at the robot.

Of course, the mechanical man saw the projectiles flying right at him. Taking aim with its hand, it began firing energy beams, one for each shuriken. Batman had to dart to one side to avoid the blasts as he watched each shuriken be shot out of the air.

However, one managed to hit the robot in the chest, the tip of its wing embedding into the metal armor. Immediately, electricity was discharged, sending a large voltage into the robot. It flinched from the jolts pouring into its body, but then calmly reached up with its other hand and grabbed the projectile, crushing it in its hand and stopping the voltage.

"Your resistance is futile," it told him, turning its attention to the dark-clad man. "Termination is your only option."

"The hell it is," he retorted.

That was when a black shape suddenly shot up high into the air. Jerking his head up, Batman saw a woman with blonde hair streaming behind her going into a flip, descending downwards towards the robot. With one leg extended out and the other curled beneath her, she landed a heel strike to the top of the mechanical man's head.

The blow tilted the robot's head down, but no other sign of damage was shown. Landing in front of it, Black Canary crouched down only to spring upward, throwing a punch for the thing's head. Her fist slammed right into its face.

And then she immediately winced from that ill-advised attack. "Jesus," she swore as she stumbled back a step.

"That was a miscalculation on your part," the robot intoned as it drew a fist back. "One you will not live to repeat."

Then from one side came a streak of grey and red—Manhunter. Sliding across the gravel-covered roof on her knees, she swung her bo staff just in time to strike the robot on the side of its knees, causing them to buckle. Like a falling tree, the robot collapsed onto the roof, allowing the two female vigilantes to draw back.

"You look like you could use some help," Manhunter said as she came to a stop near the Dark Knight, the same with Black Canary. "Mind telling us what's going on?"

"Highly advanced robot, can fire energy beams, fly, and has super-strength and durability," he immediately informed them, even as the robot climbed back onto its feet.

"Now you tell us," Black Canary muttered as she rubbed her injured hand.

"So what you're saying is that we shouldn't hold back," Manhunter replied. "I can get behind that."

"Your increase in numbers will not change the outcome of this battle," the robot called out, raising both of its arms up.

"Move!" Batman barked, the two women vigilantes darting off in different directions, just before the robot began firing energy beams from both hands. Batman dodged one that had been aimed at him, even as he pulled a smoke pellet from his belt. Throwing it, he sent it flying towards the mechanical man, where it erupted into a cloud of smoke at its feet.

Charging forward, Batman rushed into the dark cloud, going low as he led with his shoulder. He ran right into the robot, his shoulder ramming right into its abdomen even as he wrapped his arms around its waist. Powering forward, he forced the robot backwards until they both went right off the edge of the roof, the two dropping down to the street below. Shifting himself against the robot, the vigilante, pressed both of his feet against it even as he let go with his arms. Pushing off of it, he went into a flip just before they hit the ground, the robot hitting the pavement hard on his back, causing the asphalt to crack and crumble beneath it.

As for Batman, he landed on his feet on the sidewalk, crouching as he did so. He had no doubt that fall hadn't done much to damage this thing, but rooftop was getting cramped and there weren't a lot of places for cover to hide from its energy beams.

As expected, the robot began to climb back onto its feet. However, before it could retaliate, Black Canary came swinging through the air on a grapple line, both of her legs extended out in front of her as she slammed her feet into the side of the mechanical man. The force of the hit actually caused it to whip around, spinning in place. Taking advantage of this, Batman began to circle around the thing, looking for an opening.

Then Manhunter descended downward, grappling downward until she landed right in front of the robot. A part of her gauntlet raised up, revealing twin barrels-her lock blaster. Thrusting her hand up to the robot's face, she fired the lock blaster right into its face, the force of it snapping the blue-skinned man's head backwards.

Unfortunately, the blast wasn't enough to daze the robot as it instantly countered. Sweeping an arm across its body, it smacked Manhunter across the face, the force of the blow sending her spinning wildly through the air until she collapsed onto the street, skidding across it until she came to a stop.

By that time, Batman had gotten into a position that allowed him to look at the robot's face. There were cracks radiating out from a central impact site. Chips of its blue surface crumbled off.

That was when Black Canary darted into Batman's sight. Stopping short of the robot by several feet, the blonde woman braced herself as took in a deep breath. Then she unleashed her Canary Cry, a force of wind slamming right into the robot as the shrill scream echoed throughout the street.

Thanks to his cowl, Batman didn't have to bother covering his ears, even though he couldn't help but wince from the scream. He knew what it was like being the target of that cry, though being outside of the wind tunnel it created was preferable than being inside of it.

The robot even seemed to flinched from the Canary Cry, raising its arms as if to ward it off. It was sliding away from the blonde vigilante, its feet digging into the asphalt as it began to break apart.

Then the robot aimed one of its hands. Instead of firing a blast, however, its hand detached from his arm and surged forward, a metal cable following in its wake. The mechanical man's hand reached Black Canary in seconds, its fingers wrapping around her throat and clamping down tightly. Abruptly, the Canary Cry stopped, the woman gagging from being choked.

The force she was hit with then sent her flying backwards. Immediately, Batman jumped into her flight path, realizing she was being forced headfirst. Whatever surface she hit would assuredly crack open her skull, killing her.

A moment later and Black Canary crashed into his chest. Instead of stopping her, Batman felt himself be pulled right off the ground, the two vigilantes flying backwards until the dark-clad man felt his back slam into a brick wall. Crying out, he instinctively wrapped his arms around Black Canary, securing herself to him.

Then they dropped to the ground, landing on the sidewalk in a heap. The detached hand released its hold on Black Canary's throat, returning to the robot. This allowed her to start coughing hoarsely, trying to catch her breath.

"Hey, dickhead!" Batman heard a feminine voice shout. Looking up, he saw Manhunter on one knee, holding her bo staff in both hands as one end glowed brightly. "Have a taste of your own medicine!" she shouted before she fired her staff's blast. The beam slammed right into the robot's body, exploding where it stood as it was enveloped with fire and smoke.

A shockwave shook the city around them, a tremor running up Batman's body as he felt the shaking. Staring at the rising cloud, he waited for any sign of the robot to show itself, seeing none. He glanced down to Black Canary, who was just starting to get her breathing back under control. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked her.

The blonde vigilante just nodded, still coughing. "Just...give me...a minute…" she managed to say between laughs.

Satisfied with that answer, he looked back up, just in time to see the smoke dissipating. His stomach sank the moment he spotted a figure emerging, soon being revealed as the robot, looking no worse for wear. It was even facing the Manhunter, whose mouth was gaping wide open.

Without a word, it then raised a hand and fired an energy blast at the brunette. Immediately, Manhutner fired another beam from her staff, the two opposing blasts colliding with each other between the two, but unfortunately closer to Manhunter. The collision resulted in an explosion, one that sent the vigilante flying backwards through the air, crashing into a nearby parked car, denting it from where she hit it.

"I grow tired of this continued resistance," the robot proclaimed. Taking aim with its hand at Manhunter's slumping form, it then said, "I will finish you all with this next attack."

As much as Batman wanted to respond, he couldn't. Black Canary was still lying against him, not to mention most of his arsenal had been rendered ineffective by the mechanical man. Maybe if he used one of the Freeze grenades on its head, it might do something, but the distance between it and the dark-clad man was too far for him to throw it, not to mention he too was lying slumped against the building behind him. There was nothing he could do as the robot prepared to blast Manhunter to bits.

Then something big and green dropped down from the sky. Blue boots slammed down on top of the robot's shoulders and it immediately crumpled like a beer can on a frat boy's forehead. Sparks and volts of electricity shot out in all directions as the robot was crushed to the ground.

Standing in the middle of the broken robot was J'onn J'onzz, his arms crossed over his chest, looking very much like a tower of green muscles. "I hope I am not too late," he spoke stoically.

Staring at the Martian, Batman then glanced down to Black Canary, who looked up at him with the same look of sheer disbelief. Then he leaned his head back against the brick wall behind him, letting out a sigh.

* * *

A body bounced off the side of a building, debris falling to the streets below, but unlike rubble, the body did not fall with it. This was becoming frustratingly common for Superman. While this wasn't the first time he had faced off with an opponent that was durable enough to go toe-to-toe with him, that didn't make it any more enjoyable.

This, however, was getting ridiculous, and it all had to do with that force field that made the most inconvenient of appearances. No matter how hard or how much he hit it, that barrier would not give in.

As a result the fight had moved throughout Metropolis, and the property damage the Man of Steel had hoped to avoid, well, was a moot point. Evading another blast of energy, Superman made another rush, swinging a fist as he did so and hitting the force field once more. This time, he felt the force of the hit reverberate up his arm. How strong was that thing?

"You have consistently used the same stratagem without variation," the strange man remarked. "Your ability to improve and adjust is very underwhelming."

He wanted variation, huh? At this, the dark-haired Kryptonian's eyes began to glow red before firing two red beams into the force field. To his increasing frustration, his heat vision did not penetrate the force field, though it did leave a small, glowing area at the site of impact.

"Interesting. You continue to show a wide array of abilities, each one wholly unpredictable from the one that came before. Are the inhabitants of this planet capable of such feats as well?"

"I guess I'm just one of a kind," Superman spat out as he ended his heat vision. He wracked his mind, trying to see if he couldn't try something else.

"Highly doubtful. In all my travels, I have never met a single individual that could be called 'one of a kind,'" the strange man refuted. "I must know what exactly you are."

"Good luck finding that out." His irritability was making him less cooperative, but Superman had a feeling that whatever means this man had to learn about him, it wasn't going to be painless.

Unexpectedly, the strange man rocketed forth, taking the initiative to be the instigator of this next round. Superman waited, deciding that taking a defensive approach might give him some opening or chance to bring this whole thing to an end. As it turned out, that had not been his best idea today.

The fingers of one of the strange man's hand began to stretch out and then whipped about the Kryptonian as soon as they were within range. Immediately, Superman tried to resist, but the way these cable-like fingers behaved made it difficult to do that. They flowed and snaked about his body, quickly restraining him. This wasn't the first time he had found himself in such a situation before; all it took was figuring out the right amount of strength needed to break out.

Then the strange man's other hand clamped down on his throat. The next thing the Man of Steel knew, he was struck with a burst of electricity, one that disrupted his nervous system and drew a cry of pain from his throat.

"Subject is incapacitated. Preparing to extract DNA sample," the strange man commented. The ends of those restraining cables began reaching out to any and all exposed areas of his body, primarily his hands and head. The Kryptonian felt odd sensations on his skin, but by the way those cable ends fruitlessly tried to press themselves down, he figured they were trying to penetrate.

It was a good thing his skin was tough.

Eventually, one cable made it up to his hair where it succeeded in pulling out some of the follicles. "DNA extraction complete. Proceeding with scan."

This wasn't making any sense. A DNA scan? Here? Now? Without any equipment or machines? However it was happening, it sounded like a distraction, the perfect opportunity for Superman to seize. Flexing his muscles, he increased his struggling, fighting against the unyielding hold of the cables.

Then the cables began to tighten, reducing the dark-haired man's movements. "A fallacy that you would assume I would be distracted. That is typical of lower lifeforms. I compensated for this long ago."

Now he tells him.

Despite the reprimand, Superman was not about to give up. If he could get himself in a good enough position, perhaps he could turn this around somehow.

"DNA scan complete," the strange man announced. "Result, DNA sequence matches Kryptonian descent." That was informative, but not to the Kryptonian himself. This was no secret or revelation. However, the strange man finally showed some emotion by narrowing his eyes. "This is not possible. Krypton was destroyed long ago."

"Tell me about it," Superman grunted.

Abruptly, he was pulled closer to the strange man. "Explain." It was a harsh demand accompanied by a tightening of the cables. Their faces were inches away from one another now. "It should not be possible for you to be on this planet. Your abilities included. There is no record of any Kryptonian exhibiting any of the powers you have demonstrated. Explain."

Through gritted teeth, "I've wondered about that too." There was no way he was going to tell this man anything about himself. It seemed knowing about his lineage was bad enough.

"Your claims of ignorance are unacceptable. I will learn everything about this anomaly, your compliance unnecessary. Yield to me your secrets, now."

Though the cables restricted most movement, they didn't restrict everything. Thanks to being pulled close, the Man of Steel's hand was near enough that it could grab onto the strange man's shoulder. That attracted the man's attention away from him, long enough for Superman to throw his head back then slam it forward, striking a blow hard enough that it broke his opponent's concentration. There was an immediate loosening of the cables, giving the Kryptonian the very opportunity he had sought.

Throwing both arms out as far as he could, Superman could feel the cables reaching their limit. Bringing his arms back in, he grabbed at the cables then, threw his limbs back out once more, tearing the restraints off him. There was a crackling of electricity, revealing some kind of wiring within the cables as well as exposing the mechanical nature of his enemy.

If this was robotic, what else was?

Not giving the unveiled robot a chance to get the upperhand again, Superman threw another punch, and struck the force field once more. Okay, now this was beyond annoying. Thinking quickly, he noticed how one of the restraining cables, though stretch out, still connected this robot to himself as it hung off his leg. Grabbing it, he pulled on it harshly while simultaneously hitting the force field. This caused the robotic man to fly backwards but not too far.

Like a yo-yo, Superman pulled back and punched the robot away several times. While the force field was preventing any direct damage, the constant back and forth put enough strain on the arm the cable remained attached to that eventually, after one particularly harsh blow, the limb tore off.

The robotic man reached towards the wound, and once more Superman charged forth, this time hitting his opponent instead of the shield. The losing of an arm seemed to be distracting enough for that barrier to be dropped if only for a moment.

It was a moment Superman would take full advantage of, striking the robot a second time, then jackhammering it with both of his hands clasped together, sending the robot down into the streets of Metropolis. There was a loud boom that accompanied the robot's landing along with a large cloud of dust, dirt, and asphalt.

Descending, the Kryptonian landed near the crash site and took in the sight. While the robotic man did not appear too damaged, the way it was jerking erratically meant there was some on the inside. Even the best hides could not protect the insides if enough force was placed on them.

"Send...ing...trans...miss…" Hmm, must have damaged whatever was used as its voice box. Either that of the circuitry and wiring was to blame for this.

Grabbing the damaged machine, Superman pulled it up and demanded, "What are you sending?"

"Send...miss…" the metallic voice croaked out.

"What _are_ you sending?" the Kryptonian repeated heatedly.

"...ng...tr...sion…"

Superman's head snapped to a side, the robot's remaining fist striking him. Snatching the limb by the wrist, the man in blue and red, wretched it aside. "Enough of that. Tell me what you're talking about."

The robot's face remained blank, though slack. Several heartbeats' worth of silence passed before any sort of life could be seen. "...elf...truct...se..quen...vate…"

He could hear something happening inside of the machine, and preferring not to find out what it was, the dark-haired Kryptonian tightened his grip and with all his might, threw the robot up into the sky. It barely cleared the rooftops before an explosion tore it apart with an ear-splitting boom, leaving only a rapidly dissipating cloud of smoke in its wake.

Taking a breath, Superman allowed himself to relax slightly. However, he didn't drop his guard, already recalling the last few minutes and going over it in his head.

Something had happened back there, but what it meant, he was unable to figure out. Whatever that robot was, it seemed upset about his heritage. While this was not the first time he had met with any kind of scrutiny, the reactions tending to be that of wonder, surprise, or curiosity, this was the first time he had met anything that resembled anger.

Lastly, it tried to send something out. Was it a transmission? Is so, then where was it going? Instead of finding answers, Superman was finding out a lot of questions. These questions, though, he was determined to find answers to.

But first, where did he start? The obvious starting place was the robot itself and it had destroyed that. So where else could he look to find clues? Well, there was the rooftop of Luthor's skyscraper, but he highly doubted that man would accept his presence anywhere near the heart of his empire in Metropolis.

No, he wouldn't let something like Luthor's hate for him stop him from solving this. It was the only thing he could look into, and that was what he was going to do.

Whatever the robot wanted, it had chosen the headquarters of LexCorp for a reason. If he found out what that reason was, maybe he could make this all start making sense.

* * *

FlackAttack: I think this chapter has resolved most of your questions. As for the family get together question, that'll have to wait for a Batman story. For the time being, we're going to be focusing on more other things for a bit.


	6. Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction

The robot was in decent condition if you discounted the back of the head, which was crushed in. That was courtesy of Hawkgirl's mace and it was clear she hadn't held back.

John was kneeling next to it, examining it to the best of his abilities. Despite the fact it had been in a heated fight with the Thanagarian, not to mention on the wrong side of his power ring, it showed very little damage to its exterior. Obviously this thing was made to withstand incredible force. Part of John wondered if Superman or Wonder Woman couldn't damage this thing.

Hawkgirl was also looking the robot over with her heightened eyesight. If there was something he missed, she would catch. It also helped she was an experienced detective, so she was trained to look for things that would escape most people's attention.

"What is this thing made of?" the redhead asked after awhile. "If it weren't for its head, I'd say this thing was almost indestructible."

"It does appear that way," the Green Lantern agreed. He then raised his ring hand up and fired a beam of light. The beam went thin almost immediately, angling itself towards the robot's head. Then the thin beam moved down its body, scanning it the entire time.

Once it reached the feet, the beam vanished. John then held the ring up in front of his face, staring at it as it did its analysis. Then it finished.

"This thing is covered in some material called Promethium," John reported even as the ring continued to feed him information. "It's incredibly durable, maybe even indestructible." He glanced to the head again. "Though I'm guessing whoever made this missed a spot."

"Lucky us," Hawkgirl quipped.

"Seems to be pure, no other materials included in its making. Apparently races that use this metal like to combine it with other materials during its manufacturing. That actually makes it indestructible, potentially self-repairing." John frowned. "And that's it. The scan didn't even penetrate the armor."

"So there's nothing on its interior?"

The dark-skinned man nodded. "Yeah. That's never happened before. I've been able to scan the Watchtower's computer and was able to get a full schematic. All my ring is literally showing me is the exterior—a shell, basically."

"Then I guess we need to open it up so you can get a better look into how it's made," Hawkgirl suggested.

John looked the robot up and down. "Where do you want to start?"

"Why not the head? That's a known weak point."

Before the Green Lantern could agree, there was the sound of screeching tires. Turning his head, he saw a series of SUVs turn a corner, rushing towards them. Standing up, he stepped towards them as they began to slow down and come to a stop a short distance away.

"John, there's more of them," Hawkgirl suddenly reported. Turning his head, John saw more of the black SUVs, along with an armored truck coming from the other direction. They were effectively surrounded.

Returning his attention to his front, the lead SUV had come to a stop perhaps a few feet away. Doors were flying open and men and women in suits damn near leaped out. From other vehicles were men in dark combat fatigues, assault rifles held tightly in their hands.

One of the suits made a beeline right for the Green Lantern. "Justice League, we appreciate your work subduing this threat," a man of perhaps middle age said, a pair of sunglasses perched on his face. "We'll be taking it from here."

John frowned before he pointed his ring figure towards the robot and fired a green beam. The beam formed a circle around it, then stretched up from the ground towards the sky, creating a cylinder. "Hold on a minute, who are you people and what are you doing here?"

Even as he spoke, the Green Lantern could see people running around. It was clear they were forming a perimeter, so there was some form of law enforcement training here. Were they government perhaps? FBI? ATF?

The agent in front of him did not appear put off by his action or question. Coolly, he reached inside of suit jacket and pulled out a wallet, flipping it open to reveal a badge. "We're an agency of the U.S. federal government, the Advanced Research Group Utilizing Superhumans, or A.R.G.U.S. if you wish."

A.R.G.U.S. was it? He hadn't heard of them before, but that wasn't too surprising. Most government agencies weren't known until they had a massive screw up. The ATF wasn't known by the public until their botched raid of the Camp Davidian in Texas, for instance. Still, John felt he would've known of this group in some form or fashion due to his time in the marines.

"Alright, whatever you are," Hawkgirl spoke, an irritated tone in her voice. "What are you doing here? We have everything under control."

"We're here to confiscate that unidentified object that you've apprehended. It needs to be researched and studied to determine what it is and how it came to be."

"We were just doing that when you came parading in. Now if you don't mind, we'll get right back to figuring out just what this thing is."

The agent shook their head. "I'm going to have to ask you to refrain from damaging the object any further. We could risk losing vital information with any further dismantling. We have trained researchers on standby that will be able to prevent this loss."

Hawkgirl narrowed her eyes at the man. "Are you saying we don't know what we're doing? I'll have you know I've been investigating stuff like this since my time on Thanagar. I know my way around unknown creatures and robots, thank you very much."

The agent stared the Thanagarian down for a moment before he let out a sigh. "I was hoping not to have to do this, but I am now invoking the sovereignty of the United States to police and maintain its borders. Since we are on U.S. soil, that object is now the property of the United States Government. Any further resistance on behalf of the Justice League will be seen as a violation of this country's sovereignty and it will act in accordance with the protection of its citizenry and territories. Please vacate the premises immediately."

John felt as if his wind was knocked out of him, figuratively of course. He was used to government officials using their position to their benefit, frustrating League investigations. It wasn't the first time a U.S. official had used it on him either. However, having this previously unknown agency use it was shocking.

"You're going to have to drag me from here," Hawkgirl growled back as she took a step towards the agent. Out of the corner of John's eye, he noticed several of the armed men raised their rifles, taking aim at the winged woman. "This is our crime scene and we're going to investigate—"

"Hawkgirl, stand down," the Green Lantern interjected, stopping the redhead in mid-rant. An incredulously look appeared on her face as she looked at him. "I don't like any more than you, but they have jurisdiction."

"You can't be serious!" Hawkgirl exclaimed. "You're just going to let them take it?"

"We don't have a choice," he shot back. "We're on U.S. soil and the government has a say on who investigates what. This isn't like dealing with local law enforcement, who usually gives us leeway."

Despite his words, he could see none of them had calmed the redhead down. In fact, she was openly seething. That did not bode well. Returning his attention to the A.R.G.U.S. agent, he said, "Our apologies. The scene is yours."

The agent nodded his acceptance. "We thank you for your cooperation. Now, if you don't mind…"

Returning the nod, a green aura enveloped the Green Lantern and he took off into the air, Hawkgirl following behind him, a dark cloud of anger. He didn't like this any more than she did, but they didn't have a choice. As the Justice League, they had to act as an independent organization and that required they follow the laws of the countries they were assisting.

However, it wasn't as if they were out of options. There were multiple robots throughout the country. One of the others could remove one so long as it wasn't completely wrecked.

Raising a hand to the comm link, John made the call, sooner rather than later. There was no telling if this A.R.G.U.S. was on the way to the other scenes right then. It was best to assume they were and act accordingly.

* * *

The photographs were of the damaged street in front of Wayne Tower. It was after the battle with Batman conferring with J'onn J'onzz about what the hell they had been fighting.

Apparently there had been a number of those robots all over the country. Further digging had shown this had been a worldwide incident with the most resistance occurring where the Justice League had intervened. Multiple cities had reported electrical fluctuations and breeches through their firewalls.

Bruce didn't like this one bit.

Already he was puzzling out what this was a sign of. Obviously there was some sort of larger plan in play and the world was receiving its first notice. Whether this had been going on prior or just started was an unanswerable question at the moment, not without gathering more information.

To compound on this, a group of government operatives had appeared on the scene shortly after the battle outside. Bruce had left the moment the trucks had been spotted, leaving J'onn to ascertain their purpose. Their operating name was A.R.G.U.S., or so they claimed. He hadn't heard of them, not that he couldn't find that out. A remote transmission to the Cave had the supercomputer there compiling information on the group.

Their purpose for being in Gotham came clear mere moments into their interaction with J'onn. They had recovered the robot, claiming governmental jurisdiction. J'onn hadn't put up a fight, though that was expected. The Martian was a representative of an independent organization and he couldn't argue for long with them, especially since they were right in regards to jurisdiction.

However, if they thought they had collected one hundred percent of the remains, they were going to find a hand missing. That could be chalked up to it being completely destroyed in the battle and A.R.G.U.S. would accept that rationale.

In actuality, that hand had been ferreted out by the vigilante before he had left the scene. He stayed during the government team's activities and their withdrawal. J'onn had told him what they had said, which is how he knew what occurred in the conversation. Confiding in the Martian that he would be following up on this robot on his own, he recommended his friend return to the League to further their own investigation.

As Bruce perused the photographs of A.R.G.U.S. scrambling around the battlefield—pictures obtained from the camera in his cowls' lens and printed—he made sure he could account for each agent's movements and actions. He wanted to make sure they were leaving anything behind, such as surveillance equipment. The last thing he needed was a government agency trying to get a foothold in Gotham, not after the actions of the National Guard last year. There was something else afoot, he just knew it.

The door to the room opened and in stepped Lucius. He came in empty-handed, which was a rather peculiar thing for him. The older man always had some sort of document, file, or briefcase in hand, so this was very different. However, Bruce had been expecting this. After all, what he had the man doing was something they couldn't afford to leave a paper trail.

"I don't know where you found that hand," Lucius told him then, "but that is without a doubt the single most advanced piece of machinery I've ever seen."

That's what Bruce had expected, but the confirmation was nice. "I got that from the robot that was infiltrating our network. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Yeah. The lab boys have no idea what that thing is made of. There's no record of it even existing on Earth, not until today. Even the wiring and gears are made of some unknown material."

Bruce nodded. "Anything else?"

Lucius took a seat near him at the table. An exasperated look appeared on his face. "If I didn't know any better, I would say this is some sort of alien technology. It's way too advanced in comparison to the technology our own R&D department makes. With this hand alone, we could jumpstart a technological revolution that hasn't been seen since the steam engine."

Again, the younger man had expected this. In fact, this was all something he could have discovered using the supercomputer in the Cave. He had a reason for having Lucius conduct this part of the investigation, however.

"Would it surprise you that Gotham wasn't the only city attacked by this thing?" Bruce asked then. "I've been checking for similar attacks and I've found this was a worldwide thing."

"There are more of these things?" Lucius questioned incredulously.

"I'm afraid so. And if what you suspect is true, that this is alien in origin, I'm getting the feeling this is only the beginning. Whomever, whatever produced these first robots surely has more, potentially more advanced ones as well. While this could very easily just be some alien civilization scouting us out for academic reasons, it could be the first wave of an aggressive species."

"You're talking of another invasion, Bruce."

He nodded his agreement. "I am."

"And you think you may become more involved in the near future."

"It's certainly a possibility. I'm checking with a few other contacts right now for more intelligence, but I'd rather be ready in the event this is another invasion."

Slowly, Lucius nodded his understanding. "I'll see what I can do to arrange some off time for you. How much do you think you'll need?"

"A couple weeks, maybe. I think I can keep running the company for the next few days, at least until these new aliens make their next move. Once we know their intention, then we can act."

"Of course. I'll begin shifting your responsibilities towards myself for a smoother transition."

And that's why he wanted Lucius to study the hand. With his assumption as head of Wayne Enterprises, he had a more integral role than previously. The two men had a serious discussion about this and it was something Bruce had taken to heart. He wouldn't let Lucius down if he could help it.

However, if there was an invasion coming, he couldn't be tied up by the company so much so that he failed to act. As long as he was upfront with Lucius and get him to understand what was going on, he would be agreeable to the Bat taking a larger role in his life.

There was a sigh, interrupting the dark-haired man's thoughts. "In all honesty, Bruce, I hope you're wrong about this," Lucius said.

"So am I, Lucius. So am I."

* * *

Meetings in the Watchtower were common place among the assembled Leaguers. From around a large, round table, the six heroes of various origins and appearances sat, briefing themselves on the most recent event.

Superman listened intently to the others, comparing everyone else's observations and stories to his own. A lot of similarities could be picked out, from how durable these robots were, firing beams of energy from the hands, the lack of emotion, even the fingers that became cables.

One other thing that stood out was how hard each fight had been, being turned around when either a second Leaguer arrived or the hero in question managed to find a creative way to deal with the robots.

On a map of the planet, various red dots appear over known locations where these things had gone. While quite a few were on the North American continent, the rest were spread out over the rest of the planet. The story was always the same: disturbances in the electrical grid, any and all machines that had a Wifi connection would turn on then off, and it would occur in a large, metropolitan area, somehow affecting the immediate areas around it, including some satellite and commuting towns.

Naturally, wherever this took place, there were also reports of identical robots, each one with the same description as the ones the League had faced. At this point, there could be no denial: something was up.

"Anybody know what these things were trying to do?" the Flash asked, scarfing down the last of a twenty burger meal he had brought along with him. Some of his words came out slightly muffled thanks to him talking with his mouth full.

J'onn himself showed no signs or offense at the speedster's lack of manners. He simply glanced at a printout he had, before answering, "There were multiple data breaches wherever these robots appeared."

"What were they looking for?" Hawkgirl cut in, leaning forward. Thanks to her mask, she looked fierce and ready for a fight.

"That is still being ascertained. These hacks were not limited to secure networks, but to every electronic device in the region. These include everything from top secret government mainframes to privately used desktop computers, and other devices such as phones and iPads and other such electronics," the Martian described. "Nothing was off limits, and no firewalls were strong enough to resist intrusion. By all accounts, if it was within range, it was hacked."

You could tell from the sound of Hawkgirl's voice that she was frowning as her mask did much to hide her emotions. "That makes no sense. It's highly impractical to do something like that. What were those things looking for that it required as many of them as there were?"

"Cooperation from the more secretive agencies has been very difficult," J'onn remarked. "None wish to compromise what information they have, despite the fact that their cyber security has already been compromised. However, there is more. After we had dealt with enough of these foreign invaders, the rest activated a self-destruct feature. While much of their bodies could be retrieved, their hardware was damaged to the point of being useless. The only ones with their circuitry intact were the ones we defeated prior to any destructive safeguards being activated."

"And those were confiscated by A.R.G.U.S.," Green Lantern added.

"Not all of them," Flash cut in with a slight smirk. The remark had Superman giving the speedster a look, but it was one that showed not an ounce of disapproval.

As A.R.G.U.S. had begun to move in, the Flash had secreted away one of the robots, specifically the one that Wonder Woman had been fighting. While there was damage to it, much of its interior remained undamaged, if you took into account that its core was violently removed. Sometimes it paid off to be the fastest man alive; you could work quickly enough that even a few seconds to hide away a very large and heavy robot was more than enough time. If the Kryptonian recalled correctly, Flash had given A.R.G.U.S. the excuse that the Amazonian warrior had hit it hard enough to send the hostile machine up into the atmosphere and that it should be coming back down any moment.

"Well, since we got it up here, it's half true," had been the speedster's reasoning.

"Our specimen is currently undergoing analysis, standard scans both for its physical designs and soon enough its digital," the Martian Manhunter continued with the briefing. "I will be handling that aspect of the investigation and will inform you all about my findings once I have them."

"In the meantime, we need to see about finding out what A.R.G.U.S. is up to," Green Lantern picked up. "Perhaps, if they're feeling up to it, they might be willing to include us in on their end. We're going to need to make contact at some point."

"I believe that I may be able to help," Wonder Woman offered. While her statement attracted the rest of the League's attention, the dark-haired warrior waited a moment before continuing. "I have had recent dealings with A.R.G.U.S., nothing too groundbreaking, but I have noticed they have been cleaning up after my battles. While their reach is greater than I previously thought, I have spoken with a few of their agents. Hopefully, whatever rapport I have managed to build up with them may allow us the chance to learn more."

"Mind if I come with?" the ring-wearing hero asked.

"I don't see why not," Wonder Woman replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I do know they happened to be headquartered in Washington D.C. It stands to reason that is where they will be taking the robots they retrieved."

Superman found himself nodding, accepting the reasoning. This was his first time dealing with this organization, and while his journalistic instincts were demanding him to look deeper into it, the Man of Steel held back, choosing to rely on others to gather the necessary information they needed so they could better prepare for what came next.

"The rest of us will take point on calming the public down," Superman said, taking charge of this next part. "People will be panicking, wondering if there is going to be a third invasion." Not even Hawkgirl's mask could hide the scowl that now appeared on her face. The Gordanian incursion was still a sore spot for her, it seemed. "We'll release a press release, assure that the League is on the case. We'll extend an invitation to any and all governmental bodies to help repair any damages caused by this event, then get ready in case of a second incursion."

"It would really help if we knew what these things were looking for," Flash remarked, holding up a single French fry between his fingers. Huh, so he had gotten combo meals. "Might tell us what they wanted in the first place."

"Based on what the robot that called itself Brainiac reported, it was cataloging information," the Martian responded. "It made multiple references to studying and acquiring information. What it did not mention were any specifics. Based on the multiple testimonies, as well as what evidence we have gathered so far, it appears that these robots were trying to access everything."

"It could be a shotgun approach," Hawkgirl suggested, looking from one League member to another. "Instead of the slower infiltration method that Despero used, these Brainiac robots were gathering all information to go through later. Maybe that's how it plans to invade."

"Even if it gathered all information on the planet, why were they all blowing themselves up?" the dark-skinned Lantern spoke up. "If these things took too much damage, they self-destructed. Even the ones that we weren't able to reach in time did the same. Why were they going through all this if this was how it was going to end?"

At this point, Superman felt this was the time for him to add something from his encounter. "Maybe there was no need for them to leave." When that attracted all attention from the others, the Kryptonian explained, "Before the one I fought blew up, it tried to send a transmission of some kind. This could mean that once these robots managed to get all the data they could, they were going to send it all back, perhaps to some central hub."

"Meaning the place they originated," Wonder Woman concluded. "If this transmission did go through, then we should expect another incursion, and soon."

"Then it would be best if we proceeded to our tasks," J'onn stated. "We have warning long before an invasion is set to start. The more we know of our foe, the better we will be to counteract it, hopefully before it reaches Earth."

"Yeah, no time like the present," Flash agreed, being the first to push himself away from the table.

"Hold on."

Six of the Leaguers paused, turning to face the one who spoke. Hawkgirl was giving a look towards the Martian, staring him down. "I noticed that one of the cities targeted happened to be Gotham. Did he get involved?"

There was no need to say who he was. It was still a sore subject, but not the kind that was present in every situation. Nonetheless, no one deliberately went out of their way to bring it up, at least not anymore. However, only the Martian Manhunter was expected to answer the question that was put forth.

"I was able to intervene after he had already engaged with one," J'onn confirmed. "Batman will be pursuing his own investigation into the matter."

"And he's not going to combine forces with us. Typical." It seemed Hawkgirl was already a step ahead.

"Well, maybe if we give him some time, then go and ask, maybe he might help out? Maybe he'd find something out that we didn't. I mean, that's kinda how things go when Bats gets involved, right?" Flash was attempting to ease the situation, but the damage had been done. You didn't need x-ray vision to see how the rest of them were attempting to physically move themselves away so as to escape the awkwardness the briefing had become.

"I will act as liaison until further notice," J'onn stated. "If I find out anything, you will all be the first to know."

Hawkgirl stared the Martian down for a moment before nodding her head and getting up from her seat. Superman refrained from doing or saying anything. There was no need to unintentionally antagonize anyone.

Besides, he had his own leads to follow. It did not escape him that his robot had targeted LexCorp; and with what he had learned here in mind, the fact that the headquarters of Lex Luthor was hit went without saying. This meant that if there were other clues to be found, LexCorp would be the place to start.

However, it wasn't as if he could go over there and ask Luthor himself. No, he would need to try another way, one that stood a better chance than showing up as the Man of Steel. Hopefully a journalist would have better luck getting past the receptionist desk.

Though odd to say, this looked like a job for Clark Kent.

* * *

The vastness of space always presented challenges, even to those who travelled it regularly. Travel, communication, and survival held no guarantees. The logistics for each of those listed were incredibly complex, even for the greatest of minds.

In the middle of this void, something unseen traveled through it, moving at speeds that could surpass those of even the fastest space-faring vessels. It was made of energy, working to the utmost limits of its wavelength to reach its destination. The longer it travelled, though, the weaker it became. If this continued to occur, the contents encoded in this energy would be lost or highly degraded. Time was of the necessity if it was to fulfill its purpose.

Fortunately, it was able to reach its destination. Remaining stationary in the endless, empty expanse was a station, one of an ominous design. Most would describe it as a skull, though a skull of what remained unknown. Trailing beneath it were four, long extensions, what some species would refer to as tentacles. For the moment, these protrusions hung limply, lifelessly, as did the rest of the ship.

It was here that the transmission made contact, and was received. While the outside of the station appeared devoid of life, the inside was another matter. Specifically, deep within it was a large chamber, enormous by all definition. It curved about, circular in nature and was lit up only by numerous, holographic screens.

Each screen laid out information and data, some fast moving, others more slow. Occasionally, another screen would appear, alerting that a new transmission had been received. Algorithms would decide which would receive priority, and place them accordingly in the long menu of items to be assessed and later collected.

After centuries, this was a streamlined process, one so efficient that its programmer did not have to do anything. Though he, the programmer in question, stood before the innumerable holographs, his eyes remained shut, his face slack with calm and absolutely expressionless. His participation was unnecessary, and was better used in a resting state, staying out of the way.

A new window opened, a recent transmission received and downloaded. A new planet had been found and the data recovered was being assessed. It did not warrant anything, not even attention.

At least until the image of the planet's dominant species appeared in the window. In particular, the representative of this species wore a garment that was formfitting and blue in color, a red cape tucked in around the neck region. A symbol was worn over the chest, a common enough phenomenon that did not warrant any interest whatsoever.

Then the results of a DNA scan appeared next to the images, reporting that the creature's genetic sequences were identical to those of Kryptonian descent.

The programmer's brow twitched.

Automatically, several more holographic windows opened up, pouring over files that had not been opened for what felt like an age. One of these screens possessed information on a long visited world—Krypton—and its current status as being destroyed. The odds of any lifeform surviving such a devastating end was set at zero percent.

Another window listed the various abilities this alleged Kryptonian displayed, and compared this information to that which had been collected. According to the file on Kryptonians, these abilities had never been witnessed or documented. Not only that, these undocumented abilities were known throughout the newly discovered planet's dominant species.

Two taboos had been violated by this alone: contradiction and contamination. This new data, by all accounts, should not exist. Yet its very existence contradicted the data that had already been collected and filed away. Next, that other, until now unknown, species had been contaminated by this contradiction, exposed to an anomaly that had the potential to alter its natural course of progression and evolution.

This was unacceptable. Nothing like this should happen, or ever happen.

Not beyond his control.

Immediately, another window opened up, this one altering the priority status of the newly received transmission. All others were now secondary so that this breach of protocol could be attended to with all due speed.

An emotion that had not been experienced in centuries began to well up within the programmer, even though outwardly he showed no signs of affect. It was frustration, and it grew when it became informed that due to the natural degradation of the transmission, the exact coordinates of this planet could not be identified. However, the area where this planet could be located was narrowed down to the edge of the galaxy, one so isolated and hidden that it was near miraculous that it had been found in the first place.

While not ideal, it was an improvement over searching the entire galaxy for it. Once it reached this particular sector of space, more probes would be released to accelerate the search.

The large, skull-shaped ship began to move, no longer dormant. Its search for its next destination beginning. These new developments would be resolved, and everything would be put back into place. It would find this planet and make the appropriate corrections.

This renegade Kryptonian would be found, the secrets of his abilities unlocked, and once all the knowledge that could be gained was obtained, the standard collection protocols would take place, and the rightful order of this chaotic universe would be reestablished.

There would be no oversights this time.

* * *

FlackAttack: Again, this chapter tends to answer your questions before I can get to them, with one exception. I have been speaking with ShadowMajin about Aquaman, but so far we have yet to come up with anything concrete for the time being. Yes, I know, he did show up in _Fallen Olympus_, but for this new timeline, I can't say much yet. If or when he is finally reintroduced, it'll have to be something that is worth this character and does him justice.


	7. Investigation

Investigation

The Daily Planet was in an uproar, not that that was anything unusual. Whenever something breaking came up, you could be sure everyone would be working hard to find out everything about it as soon as possible. That way, they would appease Perry and uphold the Planet's pivotal status as a newspaper that always broke open the most important of stories.

Right now, there was only one story that Perry White wanted, and that was the recent attack on the city. While news outlets were broadcasting images of Superman fighting off an unknown assailant, the exact details that led up to it, including the strange power outages that occurred prior to this fight, were what the editor craved.

"Tell me something people," Perry demanded as he slammed the door to the conference room shut behind him. "I want to know everything. Who's the new baddie of the week, what does he want, and did Superman put him down? Give me answers."

For this, Clark kept silent, wanting to wait and hear out what his colleagues had uncovered.

"The power outages happened all over the city," one journalist began.

"Everybody already knows that," Perry interrupted. "Tell me something that everybody doesn't know."

"That's not going to be easy," Lois remarked from her seat beside the disguised Kryptonian. "This wasn't a localized event. I have contacts telling me that other weirdoes were seen in other cities, and that the Justice League came to put the hurt on them."

"Anybody know what he, I mean they, wanted?" the editor pressed, looking at every face in the room. When nobody could give anything definitive, they all knew what was to come. "Come on, people! It's the latest story out there and are you telling me we've got nothing?!"

"It's not so simple, Perry," Troupe stated. "Everybody's trying to find out about this thing. Everyone knows about the outages, the Justice League intervention, hell, even the government clean up crews. Even though this was happening everywhere, a lot of people are going out of their way to keep it hush hush."

"But we're not everyone. We're the Daily Planet. We find out what no one else can and report it to the masses. I want to know what this all means and none of you are giving me anything," the editor reprimanded.

Looking between his fellow journalists and his boss, Clark took a second to think before coming to a decision. Perhaps there was a way to use this. "I've been looking into my sources, and it seems like whoever picked up these...robots, I think they are, they're giving the Justice League the cold shoulder. They aren't letting the League help out with the investigation."

"Thank you, Kent," Perry responded, though his tone of voice gave away no praise. "That's what we need to look into. I want to find out what's going on, find out the name of the agency that picked these things up. I want to know who's in change, I want to know why they're keeping everyone in the dark. If you can't find out, get as many quotes as you can."

Hawkgirl might appreciate this. Where as the Justice League, they had their hands tied with international politics, the Daily Planet had no such qualms. If nothing else, it would put pressure on A.R.G.U.S.

"I hoped I wouldn't have to be the one to point this out, but did anyone notice how when the fighting initially started, it was close to LexCorp?" Troupe pointed out.

"What are the odds Luthor might know something?" Lois drawled out, leaning back in her seat. Adding a chuckle she continued, "Might as well get his side while we can. That'll be something no one else has."

"I'll be willing to do that," Clark offered, seeing his chance. Whether she knew it or not, Lois was being a great help right now. If he could get into LexCorp for a legitimate reason, perhaps he might be able to ferret out something. Odds were good that Luthor had the whole building lined with lead, so that meant he would need to rely on his other senses.

"No, Kent, I need you to get on the international, see what the rest of the world is doing about this. Lane, since you always seem to know how to sweet talk him, you get Luthor."

"I'll use my good lipstick then," Lois quipped wryly while making a note of her new assignment.

That...hadn't gone the way he wanted to. However, Clark knew better than to contest one of Perry's decision while in a room full of people. Perry was a good man, a good boss, don't get him wrong, but when it came to business, the editor of the Daily Planet was no nonsense, and didn't take well to having his authority questioned. In a more private setting and you could make your case, then yes, he would change his mind.

Now was not private and Clark couldn't make his case without giving up some sensitive details. The older man was smart, smarter than anyone would or ever know.

That still didn't mean that he was out of options. He needed to get some straight answers from Luthor. While he trusted Lois, the dark-haired woman could be incredibly evasive about a story, waiting until after it was published to get you all the juicy details. Fortunately, she was not opposed to having a straggler tag along so long as they carried...well, everything. As long as she had a pen and pad in hand, that's all she needed to do her job and everything else would only slow her down.

Glancing at his co-worker, for a moment, Clark felt himself captivated by her once more. Even as she looked bored, her eyes trained on Perry while the man in question was assigning others their tasks, as well as demanding to know why nobody knew anything that he could print, it still could put him in a trance. Nothing really compared when she was hard at work, tracking down a lead, and pulling off yet another Lois Lane tier article. The shrewdness, the intelligence, and the way that she let her stories speak for themselves still put him in awe even after all these years.

And he was going to have to sweet talk his way into having her let him tag along.

He might want to freshen up a bit first before trying.

* * *

The remains of the robot floated in midair. A light extended from a projector embedded in the ceiling to its corresponding part on the floor. The light glowed a pale blue.

J'onn watched the robot slowly rotate at a diagonal angle. Reaching to a keyboard, he struck a key. Immediately, a beam of green light appeared, moving from left to right, scanning the floating robot. The scanning beam went back and forth several times, insuring a complete scan was performed.

And then it stopped. Turning his attention to the computer monitor, the Martian waited for the computer to complete its diagnostic. Several minutes went by, but he did not mind. Time was only a waste if you thought of it that way.

A window appeared then and a diagram of the robot appeared. The image was initially of the damaged remains, then was reconstructed into its whole form. Small text boxes appeared with lines connecting the boxes to certain areas of the mechanical body. So far it wasn't anything J'onn couldn't figure out by looking at it. The armor was confirmed to be of the same material Green Lantern had discovered it to be, after gaining more information via the power ring about the metal. Other mechanical information was conveyed, including how the joints operated much like a humanoid one did. Physically, this was constructed based off of a bipedal model.

Again, J'onn was not too surprise. Though on closer inspection, there were certain parts he was not too familiar with and the ones he did were in places he would not expect them to be. Hitting a few keys, the exterior of the robot diagram disappeared, revealing the inner workings. There seemed to be an abnormal amount of hardware along the forearms, something the green-skinned man would have expected to be within the torso, or head.

However, because of this, there was the corresponding amount of software to operate such a design. In that sense, it made sense.

"Let's see what your software holds," the Martian murmured as he inputted that command on the keyboard. The diagram zoomed in on the arm until it was the only part that filled up the window. Another window then opened and scripts of text began to appear.

The first thing J'onn noticed was that the text was not in any language he knew. Earth was a planet with an astonishing amount of languages, accents, and written constructs. Everything from the written word to hieroglyphics were included in the Watchtower's database to ensure any possible communication could be interpreted.

However, with what J'onn was looking at, he was certain the symbols he was looking at were foreign to Earth. That was alright. All he needed to do was have the computer interpret the software language into one of Earth's. He put in the command and waited.

His wait lasted longer than originally thought, but eventually another window appeared with the results. This time, the Martian could not help but frown. The translation, it was pure gibberish. While an English translation had been preferable, it seemed the language was insufficient.

Alright, there were many others to try. Inputting another command, J'onn extended the translation program to include a few languages that used the Latin alphabet, then moved to other ones like East Asian characters, Phoenician alphabet, and Glagolitic alphabet. The moment he hit the ENTER button, he stared at the screen, waiting for as long as it took for this command to be implemented.

Much more time passed before he received a result. Much to his disappointment, there wasn't a written alphabet or character on Earth that could translate the alien software. That was much more disturbing than he liked to admit.

Then an epiphany occurred to the Martian. Where Earth dialects were insufficient, why not try a translation with an alien language? Though there were few in the Watchtower database, J'onn was familiar enough with Martian and Kalanorian. There was no harm in trying those.

So he had the computer attempt those. Unfortunately, he came up with the same result. This was becoming more frustrating. What was this alien language he was looking at? He needed to know.

For a moment, J'onn pondered if he should use the other languages the Watchtower database would know. Kryptonian and Thanagarian were there, but he knew enough of those two that he could recognize their letters at a glance. Looking at the pure gibberish before him, he did not recognize a single letter.

So what was his next step? It appeared J'onn had exhausted the resources the Watchtower had at his disposal. These facilities were state-of-the-art, so there weren't many places on Earth that could compete with it.

That caused the Martian's head to perk up. That last thought, there was one computer that was still superior to the one he was using that he knew of. Perhaps if this computer system was not up to the task, then using a more advanced system could shed some light onto the properties of the robot.

Hopefully that computer's owner would be cooperative on the matter.

* * *

The hallway was long, seeming to stretch forever. The walls and ceiling were painted a dull white, which prevented eyesore from the glare the bright lighting. The floors were of standard 12x12 tile squares. All in all, it was a rather dull looking place.

There were a few doors scattered down the hallway, though there was no sense of pattern. It was as if the architect felt that a door should be placed at random. On top of it all, there was one door with a service window right next to it, the only one of its kind.

It was in front of this window that Diana and John Stewart stood. If it weren't for their colorful dress, they would have looked as if they were waiting for their driver's licenses to be processed. They were two of the most powerful people on the planet, though.

And you would think such power could overcome the stonewalling of a glorified paperpusher..

"Wonder Woman, Green Lantern," the little man said to them in perhaps the most condescending tone possible, "I am not a liberty to extend you any sort of courtesy per my supervisors. We've gone over this at length already."

John was openly scowling at the man. "Is that what you're going to tell the news networks? Because it's not as if the entire world knows that _something_ happened. People aren't blind or stupid, despite what you may think of them. They know their firewalls and electrical grids have been hit. All we're asking is for some cooperation, if not collaboration so that we don't have a planet full of terrified people."

"Green Lantern, Sir," the paper pusher responded, "I promise you, we already have people working on public relations in regard to this incident. It is being handled. There is no need for the Justice League to get involved."

Diana resisted the urge to sigh. They had been at this impasse for awhile now, with John trying to persuade this little man to assist them while he grew more and more exasperated. It was growing tiresome.

"If the Justice League is not acceptable credentials, then perhaps the request of a sovereign nation will suffice," the dark-haired woman suggested. This caused both men to look at her. "As a duly appointed representative of Themyscira, I formally request we receive a briefing on what your agency is working on with regards to the incident at hand."

This time, it was the paper pusher who scowled, though Diana suspected it wasn't from being outflanked so much as it was having to actually do work. Some workers, it seemed to her, were allergic to work. This person seemed to suffer the same affliction. "One moment," he begrudgingly said before he picked up a phone and began dialing a number.

John took a step away from the window, glancing at the Amazon. "Good thinking, Diana."

She gave him a depreciating look. "I hardly think this will get us what we want, but it'll at least get something moving. A.R.G.U.S. is very secretive."

"I imagine you haven't used your diplomatic position on them though."

That was true. "We're about to find out how effective it is."

It was a few minutes before the worker set the phone back down on the receiver. "Someone is coming to speak with you," he informed them.

"Thank you," Diana was quick to thank. If she had left it up to John, she was certain he would have a more sarcastic remark. Thankfully, he was content with allowing her reply speak for the both of them.

If the phone call seemed long, the wait for the A.R.G.U.S. representative was longer. Eventually, a door down the hallway opened and a man in slacks and a dress shirt appeared. He made a beeline right for them, never breaking stride. The closer he got, the more of his blond hair and handsome features were revealed.

Diana blinked her eyes owlishly. "Steven?" she spoke bewilderedly. "What are you doing here?"

Steven came to a stop before her and John. Indeed, this was Steve Trevor, a colleague of hers. The Amazon had to actually think of the last time they had interacted and she was sad to say she could not remember. He had been there when she had first arrived in Man's World and helped her get acclimated to the strange culture.

She found that very sad.

"Long time no see, Diana," Steve greeted her warmly. It was as if they had spoken to each other last week rather than the months, if not years it actually had been. "What can I do you for?"

"You two know each other?" John inquired as he looked between the two, his arms crossed over his chest.

Diana nodded. "Yes, we are. John, this is Steve Trevor. He was one of the first men I met when I arrived in Man's World. I believe you were in the armed forces, right, Steven?"

"That's right," Steve confirmed, nodding his affirmation. "You were a wide-eyed doe that wanted to experience anything and everything. Those were some fun days."

A warm smile appeared on Diana's face. "Steven, allow me to introduce John Stewart, the Green Lantern."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the blond man replied, holding a hand out to John, who returned the gesture, the two men shaking hands.

"Likewise," he responded.

"So, I'm told you two have been demanding to know what went on with those mysterious robot attacks," Steve then prompted.

"That's right," John said. "As you know, we were involved in the capture of several of those things, which your agency confiscated. We were hoping to liaison with you so that we can all learn what exactly they are and what their purpose is for their attack. We could also coordinate to help keep the public informed and calm."

Steve again nodded, though he did so in understanding. "Your efforts are appreciated, but I have to refuse your liaison offer. A.R.G.U.S. has been tasked with the study of these machines and the ones we did collect were on U.S. soil. So there is no need for cooperation between the U.S. and the Justice League at this time."

Diana felt as if she were gut punched. Steve was..._refusing_ to help them? He had never been that way. She remembered him as a good-natured, helpful man, not a person to refuse to receive assistance, or give it.

"And why not?" John demanded, clearly unhappy with the response.

"Hey, don't take it out on me. If I had it my way, I'd accept your help. This is a standing order coming from the higher-ups." Steve did genuinely look frustrated by the situation. "You were a marine, Lantern; you know we have to follow orders."

Though John scowled, he did nod his understanding. "Sorry for taking that out on you. Who would we need to talk to?"

"I can't tell you that and the standing order is a little insulting, to be honest."

"And that is?"

"If you don't like what I'm telling you, go talk to your congressman. That's verbatim. Sorry."

"Your supervisors are arrogant pissants, aren't they?"

"Sometimes they are," Steven agreed. "As I told you, I don't like this any better than you do. I just figured it would be better to hear it from me instead of somebody else. Somebody who would be less…sympathetic. If I could change it all, then I would, but this is how things are."

"Then relay this message to them, if you can. The Justice League isn't going to sit on our hands on this one. The U.S. government doesn't have a good enough reputation that we'd let this lie; after all, they didn't even know an experimental explosive had gone missing from their stores, not until the maniac that stole it used it to take over the White House."

There was a narrowing of Steve's eyes at those words. Diana could only imagine how the Vandal Savage incident reflected on the U.S.'s ability to protect its highest office. The subsequent aftermath could not have gone well for the military or its intelligence agencies.

"I'll...relay that," Steve said after a few uncomfortable moments. "I trust you two can see your way out." And with that, he spun around on his heels and marched back down the hallway.

Without waiting for the man to disappear from view, John turned to head the other way, Diana matching him stride for stride. "That was a waste of time," the Lantern grunted.

"At least we know not to expect any cooperation from any government entity," the dark-haired woman pointed out. "It'll most likely be the same with other countries."

"Good point. Perhaps we should contact the businesses and corporations that were attacked. They may be more willing to cooperate."

That at least was something to pursue. Superman was already doing so in Metropolis, so it stood to reason that the rest of the League needed to check what happened in their own cities.

John suddenly sighed. "It's times like these I wish Batman was around. I'm certain he could sneak in and get whatever this A.R.G.U.S. is hiding."

Instantly, Diana felt her stomach churn. It was not a pleasant feeling and was occurring more and more frequently whenever she heard of the Dark Knight. His initial absence had hurt, but then his active avoidance of her compounded it. She wasn't sure what to think of the man now.

Still, she was a professional and John was only commenting on an avenue of investigation. The vigilante had been the sole reason why Vandal Savage hadn't taken over the United States, his discovery of the canidite and undercover work exposing the plot being the main factors.

Perhaps they needed to collaborate closer with him than they were attempting. Both sides could only benefit. Besides, it was long overdue that she cornered him and made him explain the deliberate distance he had placed between them.

* * *

It was an innocuous truck, one that did not stand out among the rest that populated the truck stop. The driver got out, heading towards the diner, his movements indicating that he had done this many times and was comfortable with his surroundings.

Up ahead, another driver was heading in his direction, moving at a similar speed and unhurried. As the two began to close the distance between one another, the second man pulled out a thick manila envelope and passed it over to the first man who took it without a second thought, shoving it into his jacket as he continued towards the diner.

The second man didn't slow down for a minute, heading to and getting into the first man's truck cab. The keys were still in the ignition and a simple turn had the engine rumbling back to life. In no time, the tractor trailer was backed up then moving back out onto the highway.

A few hours later, the truck was making its way through downtown Metropolis, doing everything to obey the traffic laws until it reached its new destination.

That was a very tall building, one black in color with a perpendicular extension that gave the appearance of the building being an L. It was at this shorter segment of the building that the truck made its way to a loading dock, one that had a decline that sunk down beneath the street. At the end, a metal, shuttered door raised up, opening what looked like a large empty room, one in which the truck pulled into until the entire vehicle was inside. Behind it, the door lowered until it was hidden from public view.

The truck shuddered, then the floor it rested on began to descend, lowering underground and into a portion of the building most had no clue existed. That was intentional, as this part of the complex was not what you would see on the tour.

Eventually, the glorified elevator came to a stop where several armed men awaited. The truck driver got out, and showing no signs of intimidation, headed towards the back of the trailer. Feeling out the locked trailer doors, the driver uncovered a hidden keypad, one that no one would think to check for unless they were in the know. Punching in a combination, the trailer doors unlocked, and it was a simple matter to pull them open.

Inside was the prize, a large rectangular box laying secured inside. The armed men descended onto it, removing and undoing all locking devices that kept the container still. From there, they had to make an effort to push it along the trailer floor, ignoring the harsh shrieking of metal against metal. Meanwhile, outside of the trailer, a reinforced gurney was wheeled up and set up right where the trailer ended. The large box was pushed onto it, the gurney giving a groan from the incredible weight placed on it, but it held. From there, it was wheeled away deeper into the complex where various men and women waited for the container's arrival.

Overseeing everything from a catwalk loomed a man who stood out from everyone there. Whereas the armed men wore the uniforms of security personnel and the rest were clad in sterilized white labcoats, this particular individual wore a three-piece suit. The sportsjacket and slacks were black in color, almost light-sucking black. The dress shirt and tie, in contrast, were a pure white, so pure it was almost virginal.

There was a presence about him, one that literally hung over everyone there, prompting them all to be on their best performance, perhaps the best of their careers. While intimidated, at the same these employees were desperate to impress this man with their professionalism and expertise. Anything positive that would earn them a second's worth of praise.

The large container was wheeled over to a wide table and there placed beside it. From there, it was opened up, various locks and latches opened before the contents were finally revealed for the world to see. The armed men reached in, and with much effort and grunting, they slowly lifted the damaged remains of a robot.

Specifically, one of the robots that had been on the news.

The suited man watched without even a twitch of his facial muscles. His control over his emotions, even during a time of anticipation was absolute. Nevertheless, he felt a great sense of satisfaction. It seemed the various transaction and bribes had paid off.

If there was one thing that Lex Luthor knew, it was that no matter who you were or what you stood for, wealth had a way of opening doors and gaining you certain privileges, such as access to some of the most unique creations the world had ever known.

The recent incidents were barely over, and Luthor had been digging around, doing his best to get his hands on one of them. His various moles and agents scrambled about, looking into and finding out who was taking possession of these robotic wonders, then looked into learning how they were being transported. From there, it was identifying when one of these robots would be at its most vulnerable to pinch.

The businessman was aware of A.R.G.U.S. but not what its purpose was. That was where money came in, some bribes with the right people, and soon enough, he had learned that due to how widespread these sudden attacks on the digital and electrical infrastructures, A.R.G.U.S. was moving these robots about with various methods to a central local. Air and land, by plane, train, and truck, that was how they were doing it. It was all suppose to be secretive, suppose to being the operative words.

All that mattered now was that Luthor had one in his hands.

The breaches in his cybersecurity had been alarming and infuriating. There had also been some desperation to stop the hack, but whatever programming this marvelous machine possessed, it was unlike anything he or the men and women working under him had ever seen before. Then, naturally, the resident Boy Scout intervened and there was the other thing that impress him.

The robot had been able to match, if not get the upperhand on the so-called Man of Steel. Luthor had watched with baited breath, though the ultimate outcome had been predictable. "Superman" always had a tendency to come out on top, pulling a win at the very last second. How many projects had he terminated because of lack of results?

After all these years, too many.

Now, though, it seemed as if another opportunity had fallen into his lap. Once he learned the secrets of this humanoid machine, he would go about seeing about mass producing it, or perhaps creating something superior and with the capabilities of finally removing the proverbial thorn in his side. If successful, any and all militaries would pay through the nose to get access to that kind of technology and weaponry.

All of that was secondary. For the time being, it was research and development and he would personally oversee this project.

The clacking of high heels informed him that someone was approaching him. Without looking away from the appropriated robot, Luthor dictated in a deep and authoritative voice, "Have my schedule reorganized. I want priority on this project, any and all developments to be reported to me immediately, no exceptions. I also want the strictest of security measures on this, no leaks, everything is strictly on a need to know basis and everyone understand."

"Of course, Lex," a stern, feminine voice responded.

With light gleaming off his bald head, Luthor turned and passed by the dark-suited woman who stood at his side. Not even a hint of lint could be found, and the way the beauty appeared to be made of marble truly suited her. It was only after he was a few steps ahead that the woman turned to follow him, her posture changing to high alert.

"Before I forget, we need to ensure that anything that may link us to this...acquisition is severed or removed. Bribe when we can, blackmail who won't be bribed, and permanently retire those who resist. Accidents preferably. People will be looking for this asset of mine, and I want it so that they won't find it. Will you handle that for me Mercy?"

"Consider it done."

Only now did Luthor allow the edges of his lips to curl up. There was a giddiness he felt, one that he could only experience when on the cusp of a technological breakthrough. This would be a big one, he could feel it. The application alone would power a new revolution, one in which LexCorp would lead the charge.

First, a certain blue menace would need to be dealt with once and for all.

After that, the profits would pour in and never end.

* * *

Author's note: After years of name drops and mentions in other stories, the big, bald man finally has his debut. I hope it was worth the wait and this meets expectations. I know there were readers throwing his name out after _The Eleventh Hour_, among other names. Looks like those who mentioned him were half right for this story. How it'll play out, you'll just have to wait and see.


	8. Inquiries

Author's Note: I hope everyone had a merry Christmas, and if not, maybe a new chapter might be about to make things a little bit better. It seemed like Luthor's introduction last chapter got a lot of you talking. Let us see if we can do the character justice and meet your expectations then. Enjoy.

Inquiries

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Luthor is unavailable for the foreseeable future," Lois mocked, her voice slightly raised and giving it a slight nasally tone to it that almost matched that of the receptionist. Clark thought it was a pretty good imitation. "Honestly, does she really think that's going to stop me," the dark-haired reported muttered even as she power walked through the halls of LexCorp.

Perhaps she was still mad she was rejected when the receptionist refused to "make time" on Luthor's schedule. Then again, why did she always seem to take it personally? If the male reported didn't know any better, he would have thought there was not a lot of love lost between Lois and the receptionist rather than with Luthor.

"So what do we do now?" Clark asked, hoping to somehow salvage anything from this visit. This was important, perhaps more so for him. Perry was expecting him to do his actual job and not, you know, do what he was told not to do. While he had been expecting to be shot down immediately by Lois, he had been surprised when she had given him a quick, "Sure," and then proceeded to head directly here, leaving the disguised Kryptonian to hurry after.

Sometimes the speed Lois walked made him wonder if there wasn't some relation to the Flash.

Normally, there would be a witty quip thrown his way by now, but his female colleague was instead checking her watch. "It's getting close to one, which means…" Sharp blue eyes cut towards a seemingly random hallway, "he'll be heading back upstairs to his office. Lunch unless there's a surprise meeting scheduled. Come on, Smallville, to the elevators."

Clark blinked dumbly at that. "How do you…?"

"I've been ambushing CEOs since before you could write opinion pieces. Doesn't matter who they are, when they're at work, they always have a schedule they follow to a T. Now do more than just stand there and look pretty. We have an ambush to get to."

Sometimes it was scary when Lois showed how smart she was.

The site of their, ahem, ambush would be right in front of the elevators themselves. However, instead of standing in front of the sliding doors themselves, Lois took position on a hard bench placed on the wall opposite of them. She even relaxed, making herself comfortable as she prepared for a long wait.

"What did I tell you about standing? Take a seat and get comfy. Everyone looks for the person that's standing up, looking around." To emphasize her point, Lois patted the part of the bench beside her. "Besides, it beats standing. Relax a bit; you stand out like a sore thumb."

"Am I detecting some puns?" the taller male groused as he obeyed the command, taking a seat.

"I don't know. Are you?" Lois quipped back, not even looking at him. From that point, it was waiting, Clark leaning forward slightly as he glanced from side to side occasionally. While this wasn't his first time doing such a thing, the fact that he was antsy for answers made him a bit fidgety.

Eventually, Lois ordered that either he sit still or wait in the car. It was much easier after that to keep himself still.

It was maybe a half hour of waiting, and sometimes making a show of complaining about a lunch they were late for because a security guard began to become too close. Loitering was still a thing and Lois would have his head if they got kicked out. Patience would pay off because then a figure in black strolled into view and Clark knew who he was immediately.

"Alright, show time," Lois said softly. "Let me do all the talking, unless you think to ask something I haven't." Clark nodded and stood up at the same time as his colleague. It was indeed show time, and he found that allowing Lois to be the center of attention tended to allow him to make observations without others paying too close attention.

At least, that's what he thought until he recognized Mercy Graves at Luthor's side. That woman was extremely sharp; he'd have to appear even more mild-mannered than before.

"Hey Lex! Lex!" Lois called out, standing up once Luthor was close enough for her liking, meaning escape was not possible. Steeling his nerves, Clark stood up and followed after the more assertive woman. Immediately, Luthor had turned his head in their direction, and Mercy was already getting into position, ready to impede their approach if they got too close. "Spare some time," the reporter continued, not at all intimidated. "Would you like to answer some questions I have?"

"Ms. Lane. Kent," Luthor greeted, and to his credit, the bald man did not grunt. "How am I not surprised to see you two here. Again."

"Now, Lex, you know the drill," Lois quipped back. "Anything happens in this town, your side is always the one everyone wants."

"More fake news?" Luthor retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Hardly," the dark-haired journalist dismissed, taking one step closer.

Now Mercy blocked Lois' way with an arm. "Mr. Luthor is busy and you don't have an appointment," the bodyguard stated, her gaze laser sighted onto the shorter woman. "Either make one or show your way out before security is called."

Lois threw the more aggressive woman a look. "Do we honestly have to do this every time? It's only a few questions, nothing more." Then she directed her gaze back to Luthor. "Hey Lex, mind yanking the leash to your Doberman? This show is not needed."

Mercy said nothing, only narrowing her eyes at the reporter, and putting Clark on edge at the same time. He knew too well the skills that this woman possessed, and if she felt the need to use them, then he was going to have to act in a way that both protected Lois while not giving away his true nature. Now how was he going to do that given the current circumstances?

"We just need enough for an article. Just Mr. Luthor's side of things. After the crazy stuff happening recently, and the whole city being affected, it stands to reason even you guys here experienced something. We just want to let the people know, that's all," he tried, keeping a wary look at Mercy.

"The people don't have a right to everything," Luthor said dryly, making to turn away. Then he paused. "Although, it is true that Metropolis experienced an event that affected every sector...given that, these are highly irregular circumstances, are they not?"

"Are you talking to us or yourself?" Lois cut in.

As if remembering that he was not alone, Luthor glanced at Lois in particular, probably because she tended to be a very loud voice, even in a crowded room. "Never you mind that. Now, you said that it was only a few questions, correct? I do believe I can make some time right now to answer them, provided they are all reasonable."

Clark was unsure if he had heard correctly. Had Luthor just...agreed to an impromptu interview?

"Oh? Like that? You're willing to give some straight answers?" Even Lois sounded skeptical, and she was blunt in making that known.

"Of course," Luthor replied. "You have questions, and the people, like you said, have a right to know. So let us sojourn in a more private setting. My office shall do. Now, my time is limited, so whatever questions you do have, do try to keep them to the point as much as possible." Extending an arm out, the bald CEO pressed on the UP button, sending in the request for pickup. "You can expect me to answer to the best of my abilities."

"Naturally," Lois said wryly. Clark knew that tone of voice; it meant that his colleague did not believe a single word out of your mouth.

The opening of the elevator doors only meant a transition from standing in a hallway awkwardly to standing in an elevator, waiting while feeling slightly awkward. This wasn't Clark's first time here, far from it, but it felt like he was always in enemy territory. The Krpytonian as a result was always on edge, though he disguised it as the jitters, something that was common with his persona as a mild-manner reporter. Throughout it all, he tried to focus on his hearing, always making out muffled voices, but nothing that seemed to give away anything that required his attention. The hum from the elevator pulley system also served to make it harder to listen in.

Naturally, the top floor of the skyscraper was where Luthor made his office, one with a view of the city and everything below it. From the elevators, the party of four walked down a hallway, making the appropriate turns before reaching Luthor's private secretary, the one who did only legitimate business. Mercy was the one that dabbled in the less than wholesome aspects of it, Clark had found over time.

"Wait out here," Luthor commanded to his bodyguard. "This shouldn't take too long."

"Are you sure?" Mercy inquired, her face a mask of impassivity.

In response, Luthor shared a look with her, one that seemed to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time. Whatever was said in that look, only Mercy seemed to be able to interpret, because eventually, she backed down with a, "As you wish, Mr. Luthor."

With a smile that seemed to pull back a bit too much, making his lips appear that much thinner, Luthor gestured for the two journalists to enter his lair. That lair was an enormous room, one with several couches and chairs that lined right up to a massive desk. Plush carpet muffled the sound of their feet, and the lighting made it easy to see in here. On the far wall was nothing but glass from floor to ceiling, and there was the view that Luthor had to look at everyday he walked in.

Clark had to admit, it was a view with some charm to it. Sure, he had had better, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate different vantages. The way everything was situated, it was as if Luthor saw himself as a god lording over his domain, and those windows gave him the perfect place to revel in it.

"Come, take a seat. Make yourselves comfortable," Luthor offered, gesturing towards a pair of chairs that were placed closer to the desk than the other pieces of furniture.

"You really know how to treat your guests," Lois said, though she spoke as if praising the bald man, in reality you could barely make out her sarcasm. There were times when the Queen of Sarcasm was capable of hiding it so well that it could make politicians with dark secrets jealous. "Since you don't have a lot of time, let's get down to it. What do you know about the recent Superman grudge match?"

Clark shot a look at the dark-haired woman, not really expecting such a question from her right off the bat. Then again, what did he expect? This was a woman who knew how to cut to the heart of the matter.

Luthor, though, was not put off. "Only what I've seen on the news. Now, if you care to ask something more relevant, feel free to do so."

"Alright. The fight took place near, if not right over this very building," Lois was quick to ask next. "Does LexCorp have anything to do with this robot's creation?"

"Not at all," Luthor answered just as readily. "If anything, this robot was attacking LexCorp when Superman intervened."

This caused a frown to appear on the Kryptonian's face. The robot was attacking LexCorp? While it wasn't out of the ordinary for a weapon or machine to turn on those who made it, Luthor was good at ensuring that he had full control over his monstrosities. When he didn't, he had them destroyed.

"Do you know why it attacked you?" Already, Lois had her little notepad out and was making notes.

"Unfortunately, I cannot say for certain. You see, our entire network was hacked," Luthor explained as he leaned back in his seat, hands clasped together and resting over his stomach.

"Hacked?" the male reporter found himself saying. "What all was hacked?"

"Everything," the bald CEO stated, his tone of voice deadly serious. Even his eyes seemed to penetrate through the journalist's glasses and pierce his very soul. "The databases, the cyberinfrastructure, any and all digital files, everything. And then, the hack used our wireless network to enter the rest of Metropolis."

"The rest? Meaning LexCorp wasn't the only place that was hacked," Lois stated, scribbling furiously into her notepad.

"The hack was so invasive, it wasn't isolated to information networks. Based on pure observation, the very electrical grid suffered under it. Lane, Kent, what we experienced was the most invasive hack in history." It was a grand pronouncement, the kind that Luthor wasn't immune to doing on a regular basis, but this was the CEO's area of expertise. While he had noticed and assumed that the robot had something to do with the electrical fluctuations, he hadn't thought the hack was responsible for it.

"Do you know what it was looking for? Is it a project that LexCorp was currently working on?" Leave it to Lois to remain on track.

"Unfortunately, not at this time," Luthor admitted, his facial features hardening slightly. "As of now, LexCorp has been unable to identify anything specific that the hack was searching for. Since everything was accessed, there is no telling what exactly it was looking for. Now, had we been able to examine the robot's remains and accessed its software, perhaps we could determine what its intentions were. Sadly, the government rounded all of them up and will not speak with us on the matter."

"What makes you think the government is hiding them?"

The dead seriousness Luthor wore morphed into amusement. "A.R.G.U.S. is a government agency with ties to the Pentagon and the White House. The agents who confiscated the robot identified themselves with that agency, so that should save you one question. Seeing as how LexCorp was the target of this hacking, I have been making personal inquiries into the matter with A.R.G.U.S. but my every request has been stonewalled or denied. This hack does not only affect my company, it also affects my customers and anyone who has had any dealings with LexCorp. Private information, such as credit card numbers, bank accounts, and other financial information were picked up in the hack. Now the one responsible is under government custody, when anyone, with the right skillset, can get access to that information. Anyone can tell you it's bad business to allow sensitive information like that to be so vulnerable."

"So if you could get...access to the robot, it would be for the purposes of securing that information?"

"On top of the various government contracts, some of which are classified. While I want nothing more than to have faith with our elected officials, the secrecy bothers me," Luthor added.

It took everything Clark had not to give a sharp bark of laughter to that.

"Have you made any Freedom of Information requests?"

"Several. Now, we're running out of time. I can perhaps answer one more question, but no more than that." Luthor sat up straighter in his highback chair, a sign that he was bringing this interview to a close soon.

If there was only time for one more question, it needed to be a good one. Was there anything the Kryptonian needed to ask, something to satisfy any lingering curiosity he might have? Doubts he would always have towards Luthor; that would never change. However, for the sake of this investigation, he would need to put those doubts to a side for once and see if there was anything else he could get out of this meeting.

"Does LexCorp have any intentions on acquiring or getting access to one of these robots?" He made eye contact with the man who gave him no end of headaches and frustrations.

Luthor's attention was solely on him now. Clark doubted that the man knew who he was looking at, or that he had leveled a similar look towards him before. Luthor's face was entirely blank, much like a poker player's. Behind sharp green eyes, calculations were running through the CEO's head, weighing and debating the various answers he could give and which one would either grant him the most gain or deal him the least damage.

"LexCorp's intentions are to secure any and vital information that should not be in the hands of foreign individuals, be they government bureaucrats or robots with unknown origins. Now, I believe that is all the time I have. Mercy will show you the way out." Luthor's voice was calm even, and in no way showed any signs of concern or humor or even anger.

"No need. We know the way out," Lois excused them. Then to him, her fellow colleague, she commanded, "Come, Kent. We've got work to do."

Looking away from the business tycoon and up to a more preferable sight, Clark nodded his head and pushed himself out of his seat. He had barely taken a step away when the doors on the far end of the office opened and Mercy waiting for them to come close. As they passed her, the reporter felt the intense stare the bodyguard gave them, never letting them leave her sights until they were informally escorted to the elevators.

Only after the doors were closed did Lois let out a deep exhale. "Okay, Smallville, what do you think."

Glancing at the smaller reporter, he answered, "He's hiding something."

"That goes without saying," Lois cut off. "Besides the obvious, what do you think?"

Practically automatic, Clark was about to give her an answer similar to his first one, but he stopped himself to really think about it. "It's funny," he said after a moment. "It was as if he was being honest, and yet dishonest at the same time."

"He gave away a lot of information in a short amount of time," Lois agreed. "For a guy who keeps a lot of stuff to himself, this was like he was unloading his personal feelings into his diary, or whatever grown men call their special books. He didn't even consult with a lawyer, like he usually does."

"Meaning he wants us to publish everything he said in there," Clark finished, his frown growing deeper by the second. It was second nature not to trust Luthor, but what was the man up to that this was the approach he was taking? Something was off, completely, but at the same time there was nothing he could go on.

"And we're going to have to because this qualifies as exclusive and Perry will want to print anything to give the Planet an edge," the hotheaded woman confirmed. "We have quotes, but all of it was carefully chosen, and on the spot no less. Sometimes you do have to give Lex credit; he can think on his toes at the drop of a hat."

It was another element to add to this investigation, if nothing else. The stories about databases being hacked while the power gird was interrupted was confirmed here in Metropolis. What did it all mean, though? What were those robots after in the first place?

It seemed more questions had been found, some more distracting than others. Such distractions couldn't be allowed if there was a threat approaching the planet, one with as of now unknown intentions.

Two invasions were already enough, they didn't need a third one.

* * *

The computer alerted Batman to his visitor's approach. The sensors throughout his property ensured no one could pass through the airspace without him knowing. That it was the Martian Manhunter plunged him into a dichotomy of emotions.

On the one hand, he trusted J'onn and was comfortable in the man's presence—as much as he would allow himself to be. On the other, the Martian didn't come to the Cave unless invited. He did not make social calls. That meant something was up and the Dark Knight dreaded what that might entail.

So he kept himself busy until the green man landed a short distance away. "Batman," he greeted him.

"J'onn," Batman returned, not even turning around to address him. Instead he continued with his work. "To what do I owe your visit here?"

"Assistance, if that is acceptable."

That caused Batman to glance over his shoulder at the Martian. That was an unusual request. Considering the resources he and the Justice League had, for him to come to his house was strange. "What do you need assistance with?" he ventured.

J'onn closed the distance between them with three long strides. Moving a hand out from beneath his blue cape, he held out a flash drive. "I have been studying one of the recovered robots and have come to an impasse. I was wondering if you would have better luck."

The vigilante looked down to the flash drive, then back to J'onn's face. "I've had my company look into a piece of the robot that attacked Gotham. All they were able to come up with was that it wasn't something made on Earth."

"I'm assuming they were only looking at the hardware at the time." It was said more as a suggestion than a statement, but Batman could not fault the man with that logic. So he nodded his agreement. "Have they looked into the software?"

"I certainly hope so." He looked at the flash drive again. "I'm assuming there's a file of it on the drive."

"Indeed. The League computer was unable to decipher it, nor find a corresponding language to translate it into. I was hoping your computer could make some progress."

Reaching up to accept the drive, Batman took it and placed it into a USB port on the computer panel. "Let's have a look," he murmured. While he doubted he'd make much more progress than J'onn did, at the very least this would give him another avenue of investigation.

A moment later and a window appeared, line after line of code writing itself from the top of the box to the bottom. Just staring at it, Batman could see why J'onn had come to a stop; he couldn't make any sense of it either. All of the symbols were ones he had never seen before. Sure there were a couple that had some semblance to an Earth symbol, but he rather doubted it had the same meaning. "Computer: analyze the code," he ordered.

Immediately, the computer began to process the command. Then the dark-clad man addressed the Martian. "What languages did you try?"

"I compared it to several Earth-based alphabets with no success," J'onn reported. "I then tried Martian and Kalanorian and received the same result. Kryptonian and Thanagarian were the same."

So he had tried most of what the vigilante would have done. That limited what else they could do. Minutes passed by before the computer finished processing. A new window appeared and revealed what he was expecting—which was no conclusive results.

J'onn's shoulders dropped, but he did not say anything. His disappointment was obvious enough.

Returning to the original window, Batman began striking the down arrow key, scrolling down the window and coming to a quick stop. This caused him to frown. "Is this just a portion of the code?" he asked.

J'onn nodded. "This is what I was able to retrieve from the robot. I too was surprised by the limited amount of code."

"Most artificial intelligence requires much more code than this," Batman mused. "And yet this more advanced robot requires a fraction of that. Either these symbols allow for a more efficient processing or…" he trailed off before he began typing a new command into the computer.

"Or?" J'onn prodded.

"Just a second, I want to try something." Hitting the ENTER key, the computer began performing the command. Another few minutes passed by before he received a result. "The code is stacked onto itself," Batman read out loud. "Each layer is blending, imprinting itself onto the layer below it, creating completely new characters. I imagine the hardware within the robots are able to interpret the code this way, or are able to disassemble it into its correct state."

J'onn was frowning at this. "I've never heard of that before. My people wrote code just like Earth does."

"I'm assuming the same goes for Kalanor, Thanagar, and Krypton," the dark-clad man said. Then, "Computer: destack code and report as one level. Compare to all known alphabets, domestic and alien."

Again, the computer went to work. It wasn't long before several knew windows appeared, the code appearing in three distinct boxes, the code appearing very different from the original. It was several minutes more before one last window appeared, reporting no correlation with a known language.

"Damn," Batman swore. He had been hoping pulling the code out to its full length would have gotten them more progress. Whomever had made this thing was much more advanced than he had originally thought, something he was not happy about.

Suddenly, J'onn pointed at a symbol. "There, I recognize that symbol," he said.

The vigilante glanced to the Martian. "What is it?"

The green man didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked intently at the code-filled windows, studying them intently. Finally, he responded, "I'm seeing many symbols from the Kryptonian alphabet. They're random at best and none make a cohesive sentence, but they are in there."

Batman was about to protest this before a thought occurred to him. While he was certain his computer would have caught onto this, it would have required having Kryptonian in its database. While there was some, there wasn't enough for the computer to identify. That was something he was going to have the remedy rather quickly.

"So what does that mean for us?" he inquired after a moment.

"I'm not sure," J'onn admitted. "However, the person that wrote this code knows some Kryptonian, enough to use it for code-writing purposes."

Well, that was enlightening. So their mysterious invader was familiar with Krypton. Batman wasn't sure how to feel about this. After all, there were only so many people that were familiar with that language and most of them were dead. That left only the former planet's surrounding inhabitants as likely suspects.

And if they lived around a red sun, the potential for them to receive powers via a yellow sign was quite likely.

Suddenly, Batman didn't like where this investigation was going.

* * *

It was an unfamiliar feeling.

Diana stood on the observation deck of the Watchtower, staring out onto the lovely blue planet that was Earth. It was normally a view she found captivating, a beautiful blue orb in a black, star-twinkling sea.

Yet, she found she could not admire the scene. Her mind was stuck on the encounter with Steve Trevor. He had been one of the first men she had encountered in Man's World, shattering her preconceived notices on what a man was. As someone that strove to better herself, learning a group did not speak for the individual was one of her first lessons. She had been told since birth that Man was just as lowly as a beast, acting on nothing more than primal instinct. Their evil knew no bounds. But then she had met Steven and he was nothing like the image she had held for so long. He was courageous and kind, honorable. And he was only the first of such men as she soon came to find out.

But as welcoming as he had been, this change in him was startling. At one time she could have counted on him to help her any way he could; yet, he had blatantly stonewalled her. The warmth in his eyes had dimmed and it seemed he no longer wished to assist her as he once had. She understood being beholden to one's leader, so she could not fault him there.

Diana could still remember times that Steve had gone against his leadership, however. When it came to the greater good, he always did what he deemed necessary to help as many people as he could. Had that changed? Or had he come to the belief that he could help more people by not aligning himself with her?

She knew this feeling. Though it was new to her, she recognized it, could put a name to it. It was rejection and it was something she was finding that she despised.

Yes, she had faced rejection before, but it had always been with a differing of opinion. Someone refused to acknowledge her point of view, or they were clearly an opponent. She had encountered belief systems that she found abhorrent, but these same systems had thrived for centuries, never mind their elevation of one particular group over another. In these cases, it was a simple matter of defeating her foe, or acknowledging that it was going to take a long time to convince others that their current beliefs were unjust.

No, this was not a rejection of ideals. This was a rejection of self—herself. In that one encounter, Steve Trevor had rejected _her._ It left a sickening feeling inside of her stomach. Bile poisoned the back of her throat.

It was similar to Bruce's rejection of her. At that time, it was the first time she had experienced it, so it was raw and painful. This was less so in that she could recognize what was going on, not to mention she was not as emotionally invested. It didn't mean it was any less painful, but she was not completely blindsided and bewildered.

What was going on? Men she had held in such high esteem were turning from her. Were there more on the way? Though it was a small sample size, there was one common denominator here and that was her. How did the others put it? Once was happenstance, twice was coincidence?

Diana was beginning to think a pattern was developing. What had she done that caused these men she so respected to distance themselves from her? She couldn't understand it. And worse, neither one seemed to want to tell her why they were doing so. It was maddening.

So what was happening? Both men she had come close to, bestowing upon them her trust and respect. They had earned that. And then...then they pulled away. Was there something they did not like? She had known Steve for a long time and she was certain she had not wronged him in any way. Why, the last time they had spoken was…

Diana frowned. Now that she thought about it, it had been a long time since they had communicated. Was that a factor in the change in Steve? It was at least something she could look into and, hopefully, was correctable.

As for Bruce, she had been more romantically-inclined—at least, that had been her intent the closer they had become. He was a closed-off individual admittedly, but she noticed he behaved differently with her than he did the others. The others he kept at arm's length, but with her...there was something.

And then he vanished for a month, going undercover, then returned and he had put an ocean's distance between them. Even now, after all this time, that still stung. Not for the first time did she wonder what had happened during that month that changed his view of her. All of her attempts at communicating with him since had ended in failure. The rest of the League had experienced the same thing, though for some reason Bruce had no problem with J'onn. He was the only one he seemed to tolerate now.

Diana felt her hands tighten into fists. This had gone on long enough. She had respected his wishes to an extent. She had tried to be diplomatic with him, but he hadn't deign her with even a conversation. It had been long enough that she was owed that much.

She would be getting that conversation soon. Once this new threat was dealt with that is. Though she had a feeling that perhaps things might come sooner than expected.

As evening descended on Metropolis, Luthor descended into the bowls of LexCorp. An alert for an update to the basement level project had been forwarded to him, and now he was on his way to acquaint himself with the development.

"I know you have your reasons, Lex, but I am still wondering why you chose to speak with those reporters. We can't trust them." Mercy appeared to still have misgivings about the spontaneous interview the mogul had granted earlier, and normally, Lex would agree with her.

There was a reason why he was one of the wealthiest men in the world.

"It's about message," he stated, staring straight ahead at the closed elevator doors. "People will always form conclusions, whether or not you tell them anything. However, when the opportunity to choose what opinions they make comes along, you have to seize it."

Though facing straight ahead, Mercy glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "What opinion do you want people to make?"

"That in this incident, LexCorp has nothing to hide, but someone else does. Sometimes, you have to give people a target to focus their suspicions and paranoias to. Worst case scenario, it's a small distraction. Best case, the person or people whom you have scapegoated now have to spend time and resources fighting the suspicion and paranoia. That's time and resources they cannot spend coming after you." Lex allowed his lips to curl into the smallest of smiles once he finished speaking.

For a moment, his right hand woman was silent. "You aimed them at A.R.G.U.S. deliberately."

Luthor nodded his head. "It is only a matter of time until A.R.G.U.S. figures out they are missing one of these robots. A thorough investigation will lead them to their leak, and while cash is nearly impossible to trace, we cannot rely on our sticky fingered friend to remain silent. We have to count on him blabbing his mouth, and rely on the methods we used to cover our tracks. However, if A.R.G.U.S. happens to find itself in a media blitz, any opportunistic politician will jump at the chance to attack and score some political points. If they are too busy fending off zealous crusaders, it buys us more time to get all we can out of this machine. Every second counts."

No sooner had he finished speaking did the elevator doors slide open, revealing the long hallway in the lower levels. Not missing a beat, the CEO strolled forward, moving at a fast pace which was the only thing to give away his anticipation. Mercy followed after him, as was expected.

"So you turn various government figures against each other, creating a smokescreen that will delay any investigation as more manpower is allocated to defending the agency's integrity," the bodyguard summed up.

"And all it takes is a few words in a reporter's ear to get the ball rolling," Lex chuckled, his designer shoes clacking against the linoleum floor.

Minutes later, the pair arrived at their destination, back in the large R&D sector, specifically the area reserved for Luthor's latest venture. Moving towards a small set of stairs, the CEO led the way down them, heading towards the table where the appropriated robot laid, a veritable mess of wires now connected to it. To the bald man's satisfaction, the chest region was open, giving the eyes the sight to behold. The circuitry, the skeletal structure, all of it was on display and for a man who's passion was technology, this could only be considered one of the wonders of the world.

Looking away from it, Luthor zeroed in on the man who was heading the project, one among the many men and women who wore white labcoats and were either standing at various stations or walking to and from various areas. This man in particular had a mop of black hair with a thick mustache, and a pair of glasses.

"Dr. Happersen, what have you found?" the business mogul asked pleasantly, though his question was more of an order. He was eager to learn more about this marvelous creation.

"Mr. Luthor," Happersen greeted. "We've managed to access the software, sir, and have begun to download all we can from it. If you look towards this screen," the scientist gestured to a large, almost billboard-sized monitor, "the data we have retrieved can be seen there. As you can see, it appears this coding for this robot was done in a different language and we are currently working to decipher it."

Moving away from the table, Luthor approached the screen, looking up at the various symbols that to him meant absolutely nothing. Logically, he knew that if one were to do programming of any kind, it would be in a manner they felt comfortable with. His disappointment came in as this would pose as an obstacle. How could one learn anything if they didn't understand what they were working with?

It was almost insulting that after all this effort, he was now being confronted with coded gibberish.

"Before you arrived, one of the techs found something interesting," Happersen continued. The tycoon continued to look at the screen, but it was clear that he was listening. "Initially, when we ran the code, we couldn't believe how short it was. Nothing as sophisticated as this robot should work the way it has been reported with the amount of code we found. Then we discovered that the coding is stacked on top of itself. When we began to unstack, we began to see how intricate it truly is. It's been very exciting, and these first symbols you see are the first ones we have been able decode, though we still lack a translation."

"Show me the code in its original form, I want it side by side with the new form," Luthor ordered. Immediately, a technician went to work on the request, and in a moment, the businessman had a side by side comparison of the symbols. The original code looked nothing like its unstacked form, yet if the bald man looked hard enough, he could see the outlines of the first symbol inlaid a top the stacked version.

"I've never seen anything like this before in my life," Luthor uttered, unable to hold back the admission. There was complexity and simplicity all wrapped into one here. If only he could understand it. This right here was a revolution in programming, one begging to happen. Where could humanity go with this? What new weapons could be produced based on this style of coding? Could this be used as a means to develop new cybersecurity programs? The applications from this alone was endless, yet, Luthor couldn't help but think there something familiar about this way of coding.

Which was preposterous. There was no programmer on earth that had ever created a digital code like this one. However, there was a code that did exist that followed the same principle as this one. The major difference, though, was that it was biological in nature.

"It's like DNA," he remarked. "A digital version of DNA."

Which meant there was a way to translate it. Thanks to the Human Genome Project, it was possible to not only decode but translate a code like this. With DNA, it had the same sequences, adenine paired with thymine and cytosine with guanine. Genetic information was read by chaining enough of these pairs so that it meant something, such as skin color, hair traits, and even vulnerabilities to illness.

So what could be the digital Rosetta stone he needed to translate it? Which symbols were the equivalent to adenine, and which were cytosine? With no bases to go on, or even a starting point, to try and translate would foolish.

Then epiphany struck.

"It's so simple," he muttered. Turning to Happersen, "How are we getting those symbols on the screen?"

"I beg your pardon?" the scientist answered, not grasping what Luthor was trying to point out.

Gesturing to the large screen with a hand, "The reason we see those symbols on the monitor is that our software is encoding this very code, and reading it off to produce them so that to our eyes, that is what it looks like. However, all computers on Earth use binary code, a system of zeros and ones that separate mean nothing, but when strung together in a sequence has meaning to a computer.

"What I want you to do is to find out the binary code behind each and every symbol, then I want you to find the English equivalent of that binary sequence. That's how we'll translate it."

Happersen looked flummoxed, but nodded his head slowly. "Are you certain about this? I don't think anyone's done—"

"We're not anyone, we're LexCorp. We're not just the cutting edge of technology, we're the bleeding edge," Luthor interrupted, giving his employee a stern glare. "Everyone will rely on the old way and will end up where we are, stuck. We have to be creative if we want to get anywhere, and do you have a better idea? If not, get to translating. I want an update for everything you find, and when I deem it important enough, I will pay you a visit then and not before. Show me you're one of the best and brightest minds on the planet, Happersen, or I'll go out and hire someone who can."

Happersen nodded quickly, his head almost bobbing with the force he used. "I'll get right on it myself. I'll handle it personally."

Allowing his lips to pull back and reveal teeth, Luthor expressed a grin that was akin to that of a shark. "Good man. I expect to hear great things from you."

Turning away from the monitor and Happersen, the business mogul started to make his way to the exit, Mercy following faithfully behind him. The clock was still ticking, and he needed to make sure his research team had all the time they had to get him what he wanted. More obstacles, more distractions, the works; anything that could buy one extra second of time would be needed.

It was an exciting day for LexCorp, and the days that followed it would prove to be just as exciting.

* * *

FlackAttack: It's good to hear you're still enjoying this series, and both ShadowMajin and I thank you for letting us know your thoughts with each review you send in. It's good to know we're on the right track with keeping people engaged, especially after what, sixteen, seventeen stories? The only think I can think of is to keep going as long as we can and hopefully keep you entertained until the bitter end. Thanks for reviewing and enjoying.


	9. Intruding on Solitude

Intruding on Solitude

"—and that's when Trevor had us escorted out of the building," John finished. "So from the A.R.G.U.S. side of things, it's a dead end. They're as stumped as us."

Superman nodded at the Lantern's report. It wasn't too surprising either after J'onn briefed them on the report from their own computer's diagnostics. From a mechanical standpoint, it was a robot with a humanoid structure. The operating system, on the other hand, was far more advanced than could be deciphered.

That had been followed by John and Diana's encounter with the A.R.G.U.S. representative, someone that was surprisingly linked to Diana. Even more astonishing was that this Steve Trevor wasn't more cooperative with the Amazon. She was known for forming solid relationships with the people she encountered, so this was a new development.

"So that leaves us at square one," Flash surprised as he lounged in his chair. "You know, aside from everyone agreeing this robot thing is from outer space."

"Agreed," Superman replied. "I was able to question Luthor about the one that attacked Metropolis and he admitted as much. I had thought it was possibly one of his own creations he was testing, but everything he said leads me to believe he had nothing to do with it."

"Luthor was candid with you?" Hawkgirl questioned, giving him a penetrating look. "Since when?"

"That's what Lois and I thought too. He was volunteering way too much information, so we're certain he was telling us some of the truth, just not everything. This robot actually infiltrated most of the computer servers and mainframes throughout the city. I'm assuming all the other cities reported their electrical grids losing power and multiple firewalls being easily breached."

"That sounds about right," John said. "Though correct me if I'm wrong, LexCorp is one of the, if not the most pivotal, company in Metropolis. Everything there runs through it."

That was an excellent point too. "LexCorp is responsible for half of the city being built in one form or another." That was most likely by design too considering Luthor's ego. He didn't allow much competition in the city; in fact, he probably was well on his way to remodeling Metropolis into his image before the Kryptonian appeared on the scene.

Now that he thought about it, there weren't many other cities he could think of that were as monopolized as Metropolis. Lois had remarked on it earlier in her time at the Daily Planet, fresh from her stent in Gotham. Though Wayne Enterprises was easily the biggest company in Gotham, it had a lot more competition there to have the city in a stranglehold like LexCorp had.

"That might explain why Metropolis was so easily breached," Hawkgirl added. "But that's not really the issue. What is is who made these things and why. An assault on the world's infrastructure is one possibility except there wasn't anything really damaged. Just a lot of information stolen."

"Make that copies," Flash interjected, which earned him the attention of the room. "Every place that was hit still has the original data, right? Then these things just made copies and transmitted them somewhere."

"This is making for a very strange theft," John commented.

"Where did the signal go then?" Diana asked. "Do we have anything definitive?"

"Somewhere in space," J'onn answered her. "Which solidifies the theory that Luthor was not responsible. If he was, the data would have been picked up by a satellite and rerouted to a location on Earth. As far as we can detect, that wasn't the case. The signal was transmitted deep into space."

"So this is definitely something alien, right?" Flash suggested. "I know you said you looked into that robot's software, right, J'onn? What did you find?"

"The Watchtower was unable to decipher it," the Martian reported, something Superman didn't want to hear. "In addition, the operating system was running off a very short code."

"Short? Isn't that supposed to be easier?" the speedster said with confusion in his voice.

"The length of the code was half of the one used to run your average calculator. Less than that I would imagine. Something as sophisticated as this robot would require more computing power and instructions than that."

"So we made no progress with it?" Hawkgirl questioned.

For a moment, Superman swore J'onn looked uncomfortable. It was a brief moment, but it was quite telling if the Man of Steel could actually read the Martian's body language like that. "Not necessarily. I made the decision to consult with an outside party and we discovered the code is actually layered on top of itself. Once we were able to unravel the layers, we were able to make some progress, even so much as recognizing a few of the characters."

"Really? What characters were you able to recognize?" John asked, shifting himself in his seat as he leaned forward. Clearly he was interested in this discovery. So was Superman.

"There were a few of them, but I was able to recognize Kryptonian symbols." Superman jolted in his seat at those words.

Krptonian? These things were powered by a computer code written from Krypton? Though J'onn was continuing to speak, and in spite his super-hearing, he did not hear a single word. He vaguely caught sight of the others glancing at him.

After all of these years, he had believed he was the last remnant of his home planet, kryptonite notwithstanding. He had been certain he was the last person in the universe that even understood Kryptonian. But now...now there was something else, possibly someone else.

He wasn't sure how to take it.

"J'onn, if you don't mind my asking, who helped you with this?" Hawkgirl asked, something that cut through the Man of Steel's daze. He wasn't sure why those words were able to wake him, but the Kryptonian found himself wanting to know the answer as well.

J'onn stayed silent for a moment, staring out at the rest of the League, dragging the silence on for several moments. "I conferred with Batman," he answered after awhile.

Diana perked up at that response, but did not say anything. An incredulous look appeared on John's face as he stared at the Martian. "Are you serious? He hasn't been receptive to any of our communications, but he chooses now to help out?"

"It makes some sense if you think about it," Hawkgirl pointed out. "One of those robots attacked Gotham and he most likely fought with it too. He'd probably want answers as to why like us. It's probably the only reason he was willing to assist J'onn too."

"What else were the two of you able to discover?" Superman quickly asked, hoping to avoid what was possibly going to be an argument over Gotham's Dark Knight. His abrupt resignation had left a sour taste in everyone's mouths, one that lingered under the surface. Now wasn't the time to dredge up those feelings.

"Batman is still trying to decipher the symbols with his own instruments while I have the Watchtower working on it as well," J'onn answered. "Though I do not believe we will make much progress. We've both come to the conclusion that most of the code is written in alien symbols. In order for our computers to read them, those symbols need to be in the computers' databases."

"Which means this may also be a dead end," Flash, once again, summed up.

"Most likely," the green man agreed.

"There may be a way then." Superman had murmured that to himself, but it seemed he had been loud enough for the rest of the room to look to him. Seeing the attention on him, he then raised the volume of his voice as he clarified. "I may know of a computer that has those symbols in its database."

"And where would that be?" John inquired.

Superman ignored him. "J'onn, if we took the code and had it interpreted, would you be able to read it?"

"I should be able to," he responded.

Finally, perhaps they were going to make some progress with this. Whatever hope that the dark-haired man was feeling was put on hold, however.

"Perhaps we should include Batman on this as well," Hawkgirl suggested. "After all, it was J'onn _and_ him that cracked part of this code. Maybe his assistance will help further our progress."

"You're assuming he'd even want to help," John retorted.

The redhead shot him a scowl. "And how much progress have you made? Not nearly as much as he had and he's not officially on the case. I know I haven't made much either. We've got ourselves a mystery here and we're going to need a detective to figure it out. We already know who's the best in the world at that."

"J'onn, do you think you could persuade Batman to help out?" Superman asked the Martian, looking to the green man.

"I can ask, but I'm not sure that I can," he admitted.

"Then we need to convince him to," Diana declared. "If the person responsible for these robots is a threat, we need to figure out what their intent is and allow pettiness to interfere with that is going to cost us."

That was a good point. Not only did they need to find out the purpose of these attacks, they needed to ensure the Earth was not in any danger. For Superman, he had a chance to find out more of his heritage, something he never thought he'd have the chance. If he needed to grovel and beg, then so be it.

"J'onn, I'm sorry to ask you of this, but we're going to need you to arrange a meeting," he told the Martian. "The sooner, the better."

* * *

The voice was as sudden as it was unexpected.

_I'm on my way to your cave. I have the others with me._

Batman had jolted in his seat upon hearing the voice. It took him a moment to realize it had been in his head rather than external. After that, it only made sense to him that J'onn had communicated telepathically with him.

However, before he could even contemplate what the Martian had meant, the supercomputer alerted him to a few of his sensors going off. Three bogies were on their way to one of the Cave's entrances. Taking into account the speed in which they moved and J'onn's cryptic message…

One of those bogies was J'onn. The other two were keeping up with him, traveling at a significant rate. They were flying. That further limited who "the others" could be.

Batman clenched his hands into tight fists. It seemed his self-imposed exile was being intruded upon.

Quickly, he stood up from his chair and he made his way to the armory. Though he had no need to prepare himself to go up against the Martian Manhunter, he had a number of people he needed to be ready for. Flash would be here now if he was part of this incoming group, so there was no need for prep for him either.

That left the other four. Entering the armory, the vigilante ignored most of the weapons, heading for a back corner. Hitting a small button at the corner of a shelf, the case slide forward then to a side, revealing a small room behind it. There wasn't much there, but there was enough for the possible people approaching the Cave.

Though he had come up with a number of protocols to take on the League, he kept most of those in the secret chamber far below Cave, the very one he had accessed in the future. That ensured that no one that wasn't supposed to be in here would get their hands on them. However, he needed some he could get to at a moment's notice and thus was this small stash. Grabbing a number of weapons and placing them in the pouches of his belt, he paused for a moment as he looked at a small display case, a chunk of kryptonite sitting within it.

_Just in case_ was his only thought as he removed the glowing rock and placed it in a lead-line pouch on his belt. There, he was ready to see just what the League wanted and was able to defend himself if need be.

Leaving the small room, the case slid back into place and the dark-clad man exited the armory. He came to a stop, however, once he re-entered the main cavern.

There, standing between him and the supercomputer was J'onn and two dark-haired people in red, yellow, and blue. Of all the people that had to show here, it had to be those two. Already Batman felt his teeth set on edge.

_You couldn't have told me who was with you?_ he demanded over the telepathic link. Much to J'onn's credit, he didn't so much as flinch at the anger sent his way.

_I couldn't make it too easy on you, _the Martian returned, a note of humor in his tone. For a moment, Batman had to frown. If this matter was of extreme importance, J'onn would not have responded in such a fashion. That meant this meeting was of a different nature entirely.

_Mind telling me what this is about?_ he ventured.

"So where is he?" Diana spoke then, unknowingly interrupting their mental exchange. She was looking from left to right, searching for him no doubt.

Silently, Batman glided across the Cave floor, putting himself between the three Leaguers and the staircase that led up to the manor. He stood there, waiting, watching as they continued their casual search.

"Is he even here, J'onn?" Superman asked, also doing his own survey. "He's not in Gotham on a case, is he?"

"He is not," the Martian answered, not sharing in his comrades' search. He just stood there, waiting expectantly. It was entirely possible he knew the Dark Knight was behind them and wasn't showing it.

It was time to put this ruse to bed.

"What are you doing here?" Batman growled.

Immediately, Superman and Diana whipped around, their blue eyes finding him instantly. J'onn mere turned his body around to regard him coolly.

"Batman," the Kryptonian was quick to acknowledge him, moving to place himself in front of the small group, the closest to the vigilante. "I'm sorry to intrude on you, but we need to talk."

The dark-clad man stared at his blue-and-red counterpart, then glanced to the others. J'onn was still staring impassively, so he was comforted slightly. If J'onn were serious, then a fight was imminent.

As for Diana, Batman had to admit she was just as lovely as ever. She seemed to be staring him down hard, as if she were drinking in the sight of him, a thirsty man having crossed a desert in search of water-or in this case, a thirsty woman.

"And what do we need to talk about?" he responded after a moment, returning his sights to Superman. "I thought I made it clear I wasn't apart of the Justice League any longer."

The Man of Steel seemed to strengthen his resolve as he straightened out his posture. "As I'm sure you're aware, there was a world wide attack on every major city, ones that resulted in the infiltration of infrastructure and theft of data. Then a government agency swept all evidence of the attack away under the guise of national security."

So the League had come into contact with A.R.G.U.S. When he didn't respond, the dark-haired man continued, "I also understand you helped J'onn crack the code within one of the attacking robots."

At this, he acknowledged the man with a nod. "I did."

"If it is possible, I'd like for you to continue assisting us on this case. It's proving to be a tougher nut to crack than we thought."

Already, Batman had his answer well in hand. He had no inclination to go further with this case while saddling himself with the League. What better way to be dragged back into their world?

"I thought you had enough resources to handle this on your own," Batman then replied. "What possible use could you have with me?"

"Because it wasn't one of us that unraveled the code," Diana spoke up, taking a step around J'onn, which firmly put her in his sights. "It was you, so you have an outlook we don't."

Looking between the Amazon and the Kryptonian, he couldn't help the exasperation he felt. This had to be a thinly-veiled attempt at getting him back with the League, it just had to be. "Didn't J'onn tell you that we hit a dead end?" he retorted. "My computer doesn't have any of those alien characters, so I can translate it into something we can understand."

"He did," Superman acknowledged. "But I know of a computer that does."

Batman felt himself raising an eyebrow at that. "And you came to me first why? Why aren't you getting the code translated already?"

"Because we want your assistance, perhaps even need it," Diana answered. 'Surely, you can't leave this case alone until it is solved."

She was appealing to his curiosity. It wasn't a bad tactic to be sure. However, appeals to his pride weren't going to move him.

"We're in need of a detective's mindset," Superman continued, a note of desperation in his voice. "And you're the best we know of. Please, help us."

"It would be in everyone's best interest if you were," J'onn was quick to add.

_Seriously, J'onn, what is this about? _Batman demanded once more. _These two are too desperate for my help on this._

_The lack of answers in comparison to the number of questions is too far askew,_ the Martian answered him. _There is also a fear that something may be plotting an attack. I share these same fears. It is why I even allowed this meeting to occur. If we can prepare ourselves for a possible hostile takeover, then you are sorely needed._

Were those the conclusions the League had come to? While he couldn't fault them for such reasoning, he was interested to know how they came to them. And apparently Superman already had a computer system that could help further the investigation, though he had purposefully made a detour to see him. What was going on here?

"Fine," he grunted out, looks of relief appearing on the dark-haired members of the Justice League. "Where's this computer of yours?"

"It's located in a sanctuary I built in the Arctic some time ago. I call it the Fortress of Solitude."

_The Arctic?_ "Why that far north?"

"What better place to hide technology the world has yet to see from the hands of people who would use it for evil means?"

Superman had him there. "Let me prepare my plane," Batman said before he began to make his way to said jet. "I think this trip will take some time."

* * *

While their comrades had returned to Earth, the rest of the League had remained in the Watchtower. Not content to sit idly by, waiting for whatever news would reach them, they were currently trying to see if there were other options, or perhaps there was a key detail they were missing or had overlooked.

At least, that's what Green Lantern was trying to do. John Stewart was not a man who liked uncertainty. Maybe it was a strength, or it was a weakness, but he had a view of the world that was black and white, right and wrong, and gray was unwelcome even though he had to tolerate it. That was why he had taken so well to military life; others would have to deal with those gray areas he disliked. All he needed to do was follow orders and take down the bad guys.

This time, no one knew who the bad guy was, or even if it was a bad guy. Based on the behavior of these robots, the dark-skinned man had his doubts that this was a benevolent visit to their planet.

"GL, you gotta relax," Flash told him, matching his own actions to words. The speedster, for once, was keeping still, though that meant leaning back in his seat with his feet propped up on the table, his hands pillowing the back of his head. "There's no sense still being so tensed up. Once the others get back, Supes is going to take us to that computer he mentioned. We're going to get some answers."

"And what if we don't like the answers?" John retorted, his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm tired of nasty surprises."

"Life's full of them, Lantern. Get used to it," advised Hawkgirl. While not as relaxed as Flash was, she wasn't stressing as much as he was.

This caused a frown to deepen on the Green Lantern's face. However, instead of rising to the barb, the wielder of the ring instead chose a different tact. When you needed information, you go out to find it, not wait for it to fall into your lap.

"Does Thanagar know anything about these things?," he asked pointedly. "I would imagine robots that do a global wide hack to copy information would stand out and that others would have heard of it. Since Thanagar controls a lot of territory, I'm thinking that it might have heard something about this. How many people do you know who operate like this?"

Hawkgirl didn't answer immediately, though like always her headgear hid her facial features. Since she hadn't responded yet, the Green Lantern hazarded that she was legitimately thinking this through.

Eventually, she answered, "Sorry, but I don't think even Thanagar has ever documented such a thing. None of the worlds we've visited have ever mentioned or recorded something like this."

"Is that saying a lot?" Flash wondered.

"Thanagar is an empire," John stated, not even sending a look to the speedster. "They control a large part of the galaxy, which means they control a lot of planets. That's a lot of people, and none who have any knowledge of what we have just experienced."

"And the galaxy is a very big place," Hawkgirl retorted. "There's much of it we haven't explored."

"So Hawkgirl's people don't know anything about this. Who else would," Flash cut in, like he was trying to head off a potential argument. "I mean, I would think that an M.O. like this would stand out, you know? I mean, who sends a bunch of robots to make copies of every file on the planet, right? You can't tell me no one has ever heard of anything like this. I mean, like you said, the galaxy's a very big place."

John wasn't sure why but he winced at that. When even the Flash could point something as obvious as that out, that meant you were either overthinking it or missing something that was right in your face. That didn't change the fact that the loudmouth was right. If Thanagar didn't know of anything, that meant he had to look elsewhere, perhaps in another sector?

Of all the members of the League, it was between him and Hawkgirl who had the most knowledge of the inner workings of galactic offworld matters. Sure, Superman, and occasionally Wonder Woman and the Flash would go out into space, and who knew where J'onn stood in the matter, but it was the two of them who were the go to members.

With as much reach as Thanagar had, there was another side that had an even greater reach. And it was obvious, much to John's chagrin. Why hadn't he thought of them before? He wore one of their rings, for crying out loud!

"Maybe I should see if the Guardians know anything," he said out loud, his eyes looking up towards the ceiling.

"Guardians?" Flash repeated, lost on where the Lantern was going.

"You think those old farts would know something?" Hawkgirl asked skeptically.

"It's because they're old that they might have heard of anything that might resemble this," he retorted. Then to Flash, "The Guardians are the ones who lead and maintain the power of the Green Lantern Corps. Yes, they are old, yes, they know a lot of things, and maybe they might be able to point us in the right direction. If nothing else, worst case, they narrow down what this isn't."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea. Is there a catch or something?" the speedster asked, sitting up straighter though he kept his feet on the table.

"They're all on Oa, and rarely leave it." After receiving a blank look from speedy Leaguer, John elaborated, "Oa is very far away from here. There's no telling if this whole thing goes south, and I'm on the other side of the galaxy. It's a reason I didn't report to them until after the Kalanorians attacked. For the most part, a matter like that is entrusted to a single Lantern, two if they think it's serious. Right now, with what we're dealing with, we're working in the dark. I could leave now, but tomorrow there could be an attack. That's the catch."

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a sharp beep, meaning they were being contacted. Hawkgirl was the one who picked up, reaching for a nearby console that was set in the table. "What's the word?" she asked, knowing it was one of the three that had gone back down to Earth. Had it been someone else, there would have been a different alert.

"_I'm sending you coordinates. Make sure to bring the robot, and meet us there. Then we can get this under way,_" Superman's voice sounded throughout the room.

"Oh, so road trip?" Flash was already on his feet, ready to move like always.

John grunted, taking a look at the coordinates as the Watchtower's computers received them. Reading them, it took the Lantern a moment to recall Earth's system of geographic measurement; when you dealt more with galactic matters, you tended to use the system you used more often.

"Better pack a coat," he advised. "We're going someplace cold."

"Oh, like Wisconsin?" the speedster asked.

Pausing, Green Lantern replied, "Try further."

"Minnesota?"

"Further."

"Canada?"

"Further."

"What could be further north than Canada?" Flash wondered.

"How do you not know basic geography?" John demanded, shooting a glare at his teammate.

"In my defense, I learned from public school. I think it's a miracle I know where Canada is," Flash answered with a very serious tone.

Unfortunately, John couldn't argue with that point. "Come on. Before they beat us there."

"Oh, so we're racing them?"

"It's not a race," Hawkgirl growled, even as she took the lead to head to the docking bay.

"But why are we trying to beat them there?"

"Just get into the Javelin and shut up." It sounded like Hawkgirl was reaching her limit already.

"Fine. But you guys are so slow," Flash whined.

* * *

The Javelin was a small, jet-like aircraft with space travel capabilities. So far, there were only three in existence, and all were in the possession of the Justice League. It was big enough to carry the whole league if necessary, and small enough that it was easily maneuverable and not slowed down by its size.

Currently, one of them was zooming over a large, white expanse that was the Arctic. Thanks to the tinted windshield, none inside the craft needed to worry about snowblindness. However, the large ice shelf was still very large, and even for the Javelin's speed, it would take some time to reach its destination.

That time amounted to minutes, but for the Flash, it was an eternity.

"Are we there yet?" the speedster moaned, slumping in his seat with his arms crossed.

"Are you seriously doing that?" Green Lantern grumbled as he sat in the Javelin's pilot seat. "How old are you?"

"Just saying, I could have been there already," Flash huffed.

"Carrying that robot with you?" the Lantern asked skeptically.

"I'll have you know that's exactly what I did to get it to the Watchtower," the hero from Central City defended. "Yeah, it was heavy, but it wasn't like I had time to get a tow truck or something. Those A.R.G.U.S. guys were like five seconds away."

"How about we all shut up before someone gets a mace in their skulls," Hawkgirl snapped. It had been a testament to her patience that she had lasted this long tolerating the younger Leaguer's antics.

"Like you'd be able to hit me in the first place," Flash scoffed, tempting fate.

"Last I checked, a guy with no powers was able to not only to stop you cold, but nearly kill you. I think I'd be able to figure something out," the Thanagarian retorted, turning in her seat just enough to give the speedster a look, one amplified by the severity of her mask.

Pausing, it seemed their fast friend was actually thinking over her words instead of saying the first thing that came to his head. "Of course you would have to bring that up," he grumbled, slumping further in his seat.

At least he didn't say anything after that. Blissful silence fell over them for the time being, or until someone got impatient with how long the flight was going to last.

Fortunately, before that could happen, John was able to spot something jutting out of the ice below. While the icecap was virtually flat with areas that occasionally elevated here and there, this was something that stood out like a sore thumb. While attempting to look like a natural geological feature in this bleak landscape, it failed spectacularly.

Like a bunch of crystals that seemed to criss-cross, stabbing upwards at approximately seventy degrees, the crystalline formation formed a structure was definitely not natural to this region. Surprise, surprise, this was where the coordinates Superman had given them led them.

"Okay, I may have been to many places on this planet, but not here. Is that normal?" Hawkgirl asked calmly. Perhaps, too calmly.

"Can't say that it is," Green Lantern grunted as he guided the Javelin towards the structure. Keeping his eyes peeled, the dark-skinned man searched for an area to land, not that that was particularly hard, but he preferred to find a spot that was close to a door or an entrance, or something along those lines.

Circling around the area, and getting a full view of this strange structure sitting in the middle of nowhere, the Javelin's search came to an end when an object blue and red in color caught the passengers' attention.

"Looks like he's already here," Hawkgirl commented. Reducing speed, Green Lantern attempted to pull up close to the Kryptonian and hopefully get some idea of where they needed to go. Before getting too close, the Man of Steel began to descend.

"Think he wants us to follow him?" Flash asked, though the question was rhetorical in nature.

Of course he wanted them to follow. Why else would he be floating up in the air, no reason? Turning the steering mechanism, Green Lantern directed the Javelin after his superpowered teammate, beginning the air and spacecraft's descent to the snow and ice-covered surface below.

This was where the Javelin showed what it was made of; you could barely feel it shudder as it touched down on the ground. Up ahead was a sheer wall of ice that stretched high up into the air, towering over the Leaguers. If you squinted your eyes, though, you'd be able to make out a rectangular depression in the ice, more than likely the entrance to this place.

"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Flash exclaimed, already out of his seat and rushing for the ship's exit. John, though, moved at his own pace, taking his time to unbuckle his harness while Hawkgirl gave him an odd look. _Wait for it_, he told himself, and he was barely starting to put pressure on his knees when, "Hey, open the door!"

There we go. "Gotta unload first!" the Lantern called over his shoulder. They had not only brought themselves, but some cargo as per Superman's request. This cargo was none other than the robot that was nothing but the talk of the week, and was the reason why they were here in the first place.

If Flash thought he was going to rush through this, well, that meant he was fair game for a little teasing. Though normally serious, John Stewart could be a bit mischievous when he wanted to be. His idea of being that, though, was more opportunistic, taking advantage of an already existing situation rather than scheming up an over convoluted plan. Case in point, keeping the Javelin's door locked and preventing a certain speedster from moving at his own pace.

Consider it payback for being annoying during this trip.

Eventually, he did lower the ramp and allow them out. Behind himself, he carried the extraterrestrial robot out, holding it up with a construct that was green and transparent. Easier to do it this way than physically carry it out.

Superman was waiting for them. "Glad to see you got here," the Kryptonian welcomed them. "This way. I'll show you in."

"Why do you know of a computer in this place?" Hawkgirl asked, already going into investigative mode. Once again, she showed her undying passion for knowing everything she could.

"I'll explain along the way. It's a long story with no short version," the Man of Steel answered, leading them towards the small depression in the ice. As they drew closer, Green Lantern was able to make out a flat surface in the depression, rectangular of course, but of a different look and appearance to the ice. If anything, it resembled metal, but inscribed into it was a familiar S symbol, one he had seen on Superman's chest countless times, including now.

There was a lot more to this place than met the eye.

"So what is all this?" Flash asked. "Is it some top secret base or something? Why never tell any of us?"

"Well, that might be explained in the name," Superman admitted. "I call it the Fortress of Solitude, and I go here whenever I need to clear my mind or get away. It's...quieter here. Most human voices don't reach here, even with my hearing."

"Must have spent a lot of time building it," the Thanagarian in their midst commented. "I can't imagine how long it took to build this. Interesting choice of...architecture?"

"There's a story to that too," the dark-haired Kryptonian admitted.

"Let me guess, no short version either?"

"Actually, it does have a short version, but a lot of context is needed."

"Well, if this place is as big as it looks, we might have the time," Hawkgirl said wryly.

Due to being behind the Kryptonian, John was unable to see any expression on the taller man's face. However, knowing him, Superman would appear to take no offense or appear to be put upon. There would probably be some amusement, or perhaps some indulgence.

"Well, it started some time ago, years in fact. After we started the League, I found myself…"

* * *

Author's note: A last chapter for the year. ShadowMajin and myself wish you all a Happy New Year, and be careful out there. Until then, see you all next year!

FlackAttack: Yeah, we're really putting Diane through an emotional roller coaster. Is there relief on the horizon, or a greater storm? It'll be coming sooner than you think, or gets put off longer. I never said myself or my coauthor weren't sadists. You do bring up an interesting point concerning Luthor and Batman. Maybe ShadowMajin and myself can do something with that. Maybe. Thanks for reviewing.


	10. Warnings from Ghosts

Warnings from Ghosts

This was perhaps one of the most powerful computing devices on the planet, and for the most part, there was no monitor or screen or keyboard, or even a terminal. You stood inside of it, and the room itself would act as your computer.

To better grasp this, a hologram of a keyboard hovered in the air, Superman tapping in the correct commands into it. Naturally, it was all in English, because there were some things that took time to learn, like a language you only found out about when you were in your mid-teens. It seemed like this would be a trait he would share with his adoptive human family, that of being slower to learn a new language the older he became.

It was all fine, but neither here nor there. What was was the robot that was the source of this latest mystery of theirs. It rested on a platform that was more solid than Green Lantern's construct, and currently was being scanned by the Fortress' computer.

All around this room, the rest of the League stood about. No one was really sure where to stand, despite the Kryptonian's assurances to the contrary. Basically, they all stood as far away as they could from anything that looked important, not that he could blame them. There were times he still felt that impulse.

Standing a few feet from him, side-by-side, were Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, the latter with his arms crossed over his chest and the former standing at the ready, on guard but relaxed. Standing closer to the damage robot was Flash, the speedster eyeing the process with as keen an eye as he could for the moment. Off a ways was Hawkgirl, her nervous energy showing as she shifted her weight from leg to leg. Further away stood J'onn, the Martian watching but keep to himself, waiting until the first results were uncovered.

Naturally, closer to one of the darker areas of the room was their...consultant. Standing closer to J'onn, than the others, Batman was also keeping to himself, but his gaze seemed to be on the robot as well. They were all accounted for, even as Superman keyed the final touches to the scan.

He wanted to know everything about this thing and would have the data compared to that in the Fortress' databanks. While most of it was primarily Kryptonian, perhaps the last depository of Kryptonian knowledge in the universe, it also contained information on the various alien technologies and artifacts he tended to bring back with him after each and every foray into space. You could say it was a small library on the various alien races and cultures that happened to share their corner of the universe, if not their galaxy.

"So," Flash began breaking the silence that had hung around them all. The scans themselves made no noise whatsoever; you couldn't even hear the hum of processing like you did with any and all Earth-based computers. "Anybody know how long this is going to take."

"Give it a few minutes," Superman answered before there could be any snarky remarks. That, and another needling question from the speedster. "I'm having the hardware, the specs, and anything else analyzed then compared to whatever is saved here in the Fortress. If the computer recognizes anything, it will tell us."

"It should be able to recognize the Kryptonian code, right?" Hawkgirl asked.

"As long as it is Kryptonian and not something similar," the Man of Steel answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"You know, that sounds like it might take a while," Flash remarked. "We might be waiting here for who knows how long."

"Will you get some patience already? You can't rush your way through everything," Green Lantern reprimanded.

"Hey now, no need to be jumping down my shirt, GL," the talkative hero defended himself, standing to his full height while holding his hands up, gesturing as if to calm the dark-skinned male down. "Think about it. If it's anything like the computers we have on Earth—'"

**Scan completed.**

A feminine tone of voice intoned throughout the room, causing not a few Leaguers to look around, trying to identify the source of the voice. Superman did his best to hide the small smile that threatened to appear on his face. Neither would he admit that he had the same reaction once before.

"I think that answers your question, Flash," Wonder Woman stated, straightening his shoulders.

**Results of scan. Brainiac AI program detected.**

"Hey, wasn't that the name that robot gave us?" Flash asked, perking up.

"Indeed," J'onn agreed, sparing a look to the speedster before returning his gaze back to the hologram.

"AI program?" Hawkgirl repeated. You could hear her frown in her voice.

The computer, though, seemed to take the Thanagarian's words as an inquiry.

**The Brainiac AI program is an artificial intelligence developed by scientist Jax-Ur and introduced to Krypton in Rao Cycle 5398. The program revolutionized Kryptonian society, connecting individuals and organizations together as a singular and collective source of information. Stationed at the Archival Citadel, the Brainiac AI program served to collect all information of and about Krypton, its inhabitants, and the surrounding solar system, and store it for future inquiry and historical records. The Brainiac AI program quickly became integral to the management and maintenance of Kryptonian civilization—**

"Alright, alright, I get it," Hawkgirl interrupted, copying Flash earlier gesture and holding up a hand as if to stop the information dump.

"It seems the computer recognized the program," J'onn commented, taking several steps as he moved closer to the decommissioned robot. "It appears that this robot has its origins with Krypton itself."

"So what we're dealing with is from Krypton?" Superman didn't need super hearing to hear the skepticism in Green Lantern's voice.

While he himself held some skepticism, another part was...energized. It was rare to come across another Kryptonian in nature, yet one was feet away from him. J'onn's recognition of the symbols had led them straight to this point, and right now the Kryptonian couldn't help but feel a thrill run up his spine.

"I doubt it. Krypton hasn't existed for decades," Hawkgirl pointed out.

And there was the proverbial bucket of ice water. It was no secret that Krypton was no more; even the last vestiges of Kryptonian technology admitted as such.

"Maybe it got away, you know, before it went boom?" Flash suggested. "I mean, look over there. Superman managed to do it. What's to say something else didn't?"

And once again, hope was making a comeback.

"Can you bring up all the files on this Brainiac AI?" Superman found himself jerking, snapping his head to a side where he found Batman standing right next to him and when had he done that?

**Bringing up all files relevant to Brainiac AI program.**

A holographic screen appeared in midair and immediately file after file appeared, all listed in an order only the computer itself seemed to know. Well, not entirely; Superman was able to understand some of it. There was...there was a lot. So many files, and according to the screen, it was still retrieving more files. How many were there, not even he could say, but based on the little tidbit that this Brainiac program had become important to how Krypton ran itself, there could be millions, billions, if not trillions of files that involved this AI alone.

Fortunately, they had someone who knew how to handle this kind of thing, and he decided to use his expertise to rephrase his request. "Is there anyway we can shrink what have to go through?" Batman...demanded more than asked. "Any files relevant to the machine we had scanned?"

**Searching for relevant files.**

And with that, many of the files vanished only to be replaced with more files, but the amount that was being loaded up was at a more manageable pace. Compared to before, there seemed to be less, but the computer was still retrieving more files.

Quickly picking up on how to use Kryptonian computing technology, the World's Greatest Detective continued to refine the search. "What files involve the Brainiac AI program and autonomous, hu—Kryptonoid body structures?"

Now they only had ten files to through.

"Huh," Flash grunted, arms crossed over his chest and his head tilted to the side.

"Open most recent file." To the Dark Knight's command, the computer obeyed. What displayed was a blueprint, one that contained the design of something that did not look anything like the robot they had. It was basic, much shorter and thinner, and it was easy to see this was mechanical. Even the face was flat with two small lens serving as eyes. However, where the forehead would be were three circles, one in a pattern identical to their specimen.

"That pattern, the circles. It looks identical to the one on the robots we faced," Wonder Woman remarked, putting out loud what many of them were already thinking. The connection to Krypton was growing stronger.

"But that design looks...well, it looks like something I would expect from Earth," Hawkgirl stated, before adding, "No offense."

"Were any prototypes of this plan ever produced?" Batman made another inquire. Immediately, another document opened, all of it in Kryptonian. Superman immediately went to work reading it, and while some of the words were too big for him, he was able to get the gist of it.

"That's a rejection letter," he announced. "According to the Science Council, it didn't meet their standards, and the proposal was rejected."

"Were any proposed model approved for production?" Batman followed up.

Instead of another window opening up, the computer responded, **No proposed models were approved for production.**

"So Krypton didn't build this guy," Green Lantern grunted. "If Krypton didn't, who did?"

That was the question, wasn't it?

"When did the Brainiac AI program cease functioning?" That brought some confused looks Batman's way, but the dark-colored vigilante ignored them. It was an odd question; where was he trying to go with this?

**All activity concerning the Brainiac AI program ceased approximately ten Rao orbital degrees prior to Krypton's approximate destruction.**

"And the equivalent of that using Earth's system of time measurement would be?" Batman pressed.

**Exactly six Earth hours.**

The AI program shut down hours before the planet ended? Why did that have any meaning?

"Was the shut down manual or due to external causes?"

"Okay, where are you trying to go with this?" Hawkgirl demanded, taking a couple steps closer to the vigilante.

"Kinda have to agree here. I'm lost," Flash agreed.

**Cessation of the Brainiac AI program was initiated by the Brainiac AI program. Multiple attempts to reset the program failed.**

"Why would a program shut itself down hours before the planet it was on was destroyed, unless the program knew about its eminent destruction?" Batman finally addressed the others. "Something is not adding up. There's a key piece of information missing and its relevant here. Why did a Kryptonian artificial intelligence shut itself down only to show up on Earth nearly thirty years later? It should have been destroyed along with Krypton."

No one had any response to that, and for Superman, there were implications. If what Batman was suggesting was true, did it mean that this AI was aware of Krypton's fate before it occurred, and if so, why didn't it take steps to prevent it? Something was missing, the vigilante was right about that.

"Something's happening," J'onn urgent voice cut in through his musings. The Martian was looking at a new window that had opened up, blocking all the others. That was odd; this hadn't happened before on this computer.

Then an image appeared on the screen, and Superman's eyes widened as he recognized the frontal profile of Jor-El.

"Wow, that guy looks like—" Flash began.

"_If you are hearing this message, then it means I failed you again, Kal-El,_" Jor-El began speaking. Suddenly, small details, like how haggard he looked, the dark circles under his eyes, and the fact that his tone of voice was not as composed as the AI in the Fortress typically had him.

"_What I am about to tell you may mean the difference between life and death. This morning, I had gone to the Archival Citadel with recent measurements of geological and seismic activity. Based on the new data, I learned that Krypton was mere degrees away from its end. You should already know that your mother and I agreed to send you away from our planet, your home, so that you could find another and live a life that we could no longer give to you._

"_While I was running the data, I consulted with Brainiac, Krypton's central hub, if you will, for communications and management, everything. Everything runs through Brainiac. I learned from the artificial intelligence that it knew beforehand what was happening to Krypton, how its core was destabilizing. I had attributed it to our mining practices, but then the AI confessed that it had...that Brainiac had deliberately destabilized the planet's core itself and purposefully misled the Science Council into believing otherwise._

"_The AI was in the middle of downloading itself into a spacecraft of its own making, and one that has already left. However, there is more to this. For the longest time, I had believed that Brainiac had been the creation of Jax-Ur, but I was wrong. Someone else had made the AI, someone that I think is not native to Krypton. I would have thought this a delusion, except days ago, an unidentified alien ship arrived and destroyed Kandor, Krypton's capital._"

Superman found himself swept up in the story, unable to take his eyes off of what was undoubtedly a recorded message, perhaps that last video of his father to ever exist. So much was being told to him, and he found he couldn't question any of it, not until he heard all of it.

"_Even now, as I finish preparations on the ship that is to save you, I cannot help but wonder if this alien ship and Brainiac are somehow related. Brainiac mentioned that it had hoped I had been in Kandor during the attack. It's….it doesn't matter anymore. This message, which I pray you never see, I am programing to only activate should you ever come into contact with Brainiac._

"_Should you ever see this message, then I have a request of you, as your father. I may not be there for you, to raise you as a father should raise their son, but that will not stop me from trying to protect you in any way I can. So should you ever see this message, heed what I am about to tell you._"

The Kryptonian refugee was on eggshells, his breathing coming to a stop, and his ears straining as he waited for the words his father wanted to impart to him.

"_Run._"

What?

"_Run, Kal-El. Run and save yourself. You are the last Kryptonian, and whatever infiltrated Krypton and attacked it is still out there. It is out there and may have found you. Hide yourself, somewhere, anywhere, and continue living. I do not want you to share the same fate as I or your mother. You must continue to live. Please, do not throw your life away.. For your father, run._"

The silence in the room was deafening. Nothing could disturb it. Then the image of Jor-El flickered, then turned to black.

The silence remained.

* * *

It was awhile before any of the Leaguers could react. How did one after receiving such dreadful news? The urgency Jor-El spoke with was alarming and stomach-churning.

Shayera had fought losing battles before. That she was still standing was a testament to her will to survive in the face of insurmountable odds. Her stint in the Thanagarian military had forced her into battles thought to be lost causes, only for her and her fellow Thanagarians to grasp victory out of the jaws of defeat. She had also stood witness to outright routs that forced her kinsmen to retreat. Comrades had fallen, others taken prisoner. She was fortunate that she was usually in the former rather than the latter.

Jor-El was clearly indicating this Brainiac was of the lost cause variety. Already the redhead refused to give ground, not to some mechanical robot, or artificial intelligence, or whatever it actually was. She would stay and fight.

Glancing to the other Leaguers, she found them reacting much the way she would expect them to. Superman was stunned, his mouth open agape. Diana looked taken aback, surprised. The same could be said of Flash. John was doing much like her, stealing his resolve as his face hardened. J'onn was stoic as always and Batman...Batman didn't look as if he were fazed.

"At least we know what we're facing now," John Stewart spoke then, breaking the uncomfortable silence. The others looked to him. "Whatever this Brainiac is, it sounds like a menace."

"A big freaking menace," Flash retorted. "If what Daddy Superman is saying is true, then it destroyed a whole planet."

"Most likely it's destroyed several planets. It's had plenty of time to do so."

"What makes you say that?" Diana asked.

"This Brainiac decided to actively destroy Krypton," John explained, "and there are numerous ways to destroy a planet. It wouldn't surprise me at all if it's tried multiple ways, why I don't know. Plus, thirty years is a long time not to be destructive. It could've developed a taste for it. Already it's attacked Earth's infrastructure and that was part of gathering intel on us. That wasn't sloppiness so much as it didn't care what damage it caused."

"Undoubtedly it has reported our interference with its intended mission," J'onn pointed out, taking a step closer to the group. "Assuming it did not achieve its main objective, it is likely to send another wave of probes."

A second wave huh? Shayera found one of her hands moving to grip the shaft of her mace, tightening her fingers around it. She could do very well with a second round on those things.

"That's not a good thing," Flash was quick to point out. "I mean, this thing took down an entire planet full of Supermen. Big Blue here is one of the strongest people in the world, if not the strongest. This thing has to be one bad mofo to do that."

That was actually a good point. In all of her travels, Shayera had to admit Superman was the strongest person she had ever met and she didn't even come close. She could only imagine what having an entire planet's worth of people with his powers would do. Krypton had to have a population of billions before it was destroyed, so that meant billions of super-powered people were annihilated.

Except...except Shayera couldn't help but recall her grade school years. Though the military ran those schools and the education tended to reflect on what the military viewed as important, Krypton had been a subject discussed, if only to be used as an example of what not to do to destroy one's own planet. And if she recalled correctly, there had been no mention of Kryptonians with super-strength, super-speed, or flight. In fact, the winged woman recalled just how surprised she had been to find out that Superman was Kryptonian with all of his powers. In addition, the dark-haired man had told her his power came from the sun.

Earth had a yellow sun. Krypton was known to have orbited a red sun. So it stood to reason that perhaps Krypton's population wasn't super-powered.

"That's not necessarily the case," Shayera quickly pointed out, which earned her the attention of the room. "Superman is the first recorded Kryptonian to have powers of any kind. I don't know about J'onn, but I do recall going over Krypton in school and there was no mention of Kryptonians having any of his powers."

"Admittedly, Mars had little contact with Krypton," J'onn added. "So my knowledge on the planet and its people is limited to what I have learned through Superman."

"It's unlikely Kryptonians had superpowers," Batman said. "Their planet orbited a red sun, which stands in contrast to Earth's yellow."

"And it's from the yellow sun that I get my powers," Superman agreed. "So Kryptonians were much like humans in that regard."

"Well, that's a bit of a relief," Flash said. "Maybe with our powers, we can beat this thing."

"We'll need more information on this Brainiac, though," John pointed out. "Maybe the Kryptonian database here can give us more of those answers. It wouldn't hurt to check other sources either."

"Is there anything else that might know of Brainiac?" Superman questioned.

"The Guardians might. They've watched over the universe for a long time, so they should have a lead or two," the Green Lantern answered. "Unfortunately, it'll take me some time to get there and back, but I don't see a whole lot of other options. It's a risk we'll have to take."

"Then go. Find out everything you can."

John's green aura covered his body before he lifted up into the air and took off flying. Though they were thinning their ranks, Shayera knew that John wouldn't leave unless he felt it was absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately, that left the rest of them to pour through the Fortress' databanks and the only person that could do so was Superman. That basically rendered the rest of them useless.

That was okay though. Shayera just had to make sure she was ready for the fight that was coming to them.

* * *

Apparently the Fortress of Solitude had a zoo.

There were large glass enclosures containing some of the most exotic creatures and environments Batman had ever seen. A rhinoceros made of stone was munching on broad, blue and red leaves. A six-armed monkey was swinging from branches of an orange tree, stopping to dangle from the hand on the end of its tail at it stared at the vigilante. A tank of exotic fish swam by the glass of another enclosure, colors named and unnamed comprising the school.

Batman had no idea where these creatures had come from, or how Superman had happened upon them. Why he chose to keep them here was also another question.

However, these creatures made noise as they went about their lives, something the vigilante wanted in a place filled with metahumans with super-hearing.

"Brainiac was an unexpected development," J'onn remarked as he glanced to an enclosure, looking at what looked like a towering, blue rubber tree. It suddenly began to twist around and around, then spun back in the other direction, creating a vortex around it. There didn't seem to be a reason it did this.

"Agreed," Batman replied. "Superman seemed troubled by the news."

"This AI was responsible for the destruction of his home world," the Martian pointed out. "Something I can empathize with. And now it is on its way here with seemingly the same agenda."

That did appear to be the situation. Though all the Brainiac probes had done was collect data on the various infrastructure, that didn't preclude it from attempting complete destruction of Earth. Further research into the Kryptonian database would be needed to determine if Krypton was a one-off event, or if Brainiac destroyed everything it came across.

Batman was of the opinion that until proven otherwise, Brainiac was a threat with the intent on destruction. Without a doubt, the Justice League would fight against it to prevent it; however, he wondered at what cost? Would the League end up with blood on its hands, or remain the paragon of virtue it aspired to be?

"Does this not change our plans?" J'onn eventually asked. It was a question that needed to be voiced. "The timeline seems to gbe heading in a direction different from the one you experienced."

"It would appear so," he admitted, "or perhaps this is the first domino. Yes, the timeline is different, but the same stimulus is still viable. What triggered everything was the death of a Leaguer during a crisis. Brainiac could very well prove to be the crisis."

"This is true. Don't forget that death also occurred while the League was reeling from your own. Emotions were high and tense."

"Didn't you see how Superman reacted to that recording of Jor-El?" Batman retorted. "His emotions have been stirred and I have no doubt he'll try to take on Brainiac. It's what he does. However, this isn't just about protecting Earth; it's also avenging Krypton. More than ever, we need to keep an eye on him."

"Or we're reading too much into it," J'onn pointed out. "Both of us have been keeping an eye on the League and thus far they have shown no signs of becoming despots. Have they not earned some benefit of doubt?"

"It's because we've been watching them that they haven't gone down that road. It's been fortunate that we haven't had to take steps, but we can't afford to let our guard drop now."

The Martian was silent for a few moments. "Then what do you suggest we do? This may require more than my own surveillance. You may need to become more involved."

Though Batman didn't like it, his comrade may have a point. "At the very least I do have an excuse to involve myself now. Perhaps it would be best if I continued to include myself on this mission. The others shouldn't object to that."

"Your assistance would be much appreciated," J'onn agreed. "I suppose Superman is the one to keep an eye on, though. More than anyone, this affects him the most."

"Agreed." The two men came to a stop at the end of the strange zoo. "We'll be needing your telepathic abilities throughout this. More than likely Brainiac will go after communications when it begins its attack. We'll need to rely on you to keep everyone in contact."

"As well as monitor their emotional states," J'onn added. "Understood. And what will you be doing?"

"What I do best: investigate."

* * *

The chill breeze of the Arctic swept by the Kryptonian as he rested on one of the crystalline structures that made up the outside of the Fortress. He had come out here to clear his head, possibly cool down the emotions he felt raging within him.

The incline surface was incredibly cold, yet the Man of Steel found he could ignore it. With his legs bent and his arms resting on his knees, he stared blankly ahead, seeing and yet not seeing anything.

Only an hour ago had he seen that message, one unlike any he had found in the Fortress' database. Any and all images he had ever seen of his biological father, he was always pristine, not even a hint of lint on his person. Thanks to Kryptonian technology, he could create an avatar of the man, even hold conversations with it if he so wished.

To see exhaustion, stress, and anything that didn't show his father as hale and hearty was very jarring. To hear defeat in a voice that always sounded patient, yet knowledgeable, it was almost world shattering.

The cat was out of the bag now, and there were questions, many questions. The others were probably still debating about what this all meant, trying to figure out their next move. He was not in any mood or frame of mind to be productive, so his presence would be better absent than attending. The dark-haired man trusted the others to come up with a plan, most likely something he would agree to.

That left him with questions that the others wouldn't be asking. Tilting his head back, Superman turned his gaze up to the stars that shown so clearly here. Tiny pinpricks of light dotted a pitch back background, and somewhere out there, his home planet had once been located somewhere out there.

It had never been a secret that Krypton was no more. The same record that had been stored in the very pod his father had mentioned was very clear on this. It had been heartbreaking then to have been told his own people had been responsible for their own destruction, a claim that had later been backed up by Hawkgirl when he had spoken with her about the topic. A morality tale, that's what Krypton's legacy was.

Now, now there was a claim that it hadn't been Kryptonian folly, but a deliberate act of genocide, one that had been years in the making. The source of this claim, in his mind, was impeachable. Someone or something had targeted Krypton with the sole purpose of destroying it.

And it was still out there. Somewhere. Earth was now in its sights, and there could be no mistake that it more than likely intended to do the same to his adoptive world.

Yet, it made him wonder. If...if this Brainiac program hadn't destroyed Krypton, what would his life had been like? What would his childhood have been like had it been under the care of Lara and Jor-El? Would have gotten along with them? Gone through phrases of irrational loyalty and love and intense and rebellious hatred that were normal for children and teenagers? What would he have become? Would he have grown up to be a scientist like his father? A soldier dedicated to protecting the people from any and all threats? Or could he have become part of the Science Council, Krypton's ruling body? Or anything else that wasn't coming to mind right now?

There were so many questions, so many what ifs, that to try to count them all was a lost cause. If Krypton had not been destroyed, he never would have come to Earth, never would have known the Kents, or Lana, or Lois, or any of his teammates from the Justice League. Neither would he have known the likes of Luthor, or the Parasite, or Mannheim and his Intergang...though who knew with Lobo? Maybe there would have been conflict with Despero and the Kalanorians, but again, who knew with that one too?

People he would have known but would never know now, people he knew now but wouldn't have known, so much and so great a difference, it could cause a headache with the enormity of it.

The only thing that was for certain was that he would never know what his life on Krypton would be. Because of this Brainiac. Because something out there had wanted to destroy his homeworld and had gotten away with it scot free.

A hand began to tighten into a fist, and blues eyes began to harden. Resolve began to steel itself within the Man of Steel as he made a promise to himself. Earth was not going to suffer the same fate as Krypton. He wouldn't let it. He would not lose another world, not to the likes of Despero, or this Brainiac, or anything else the universe threw at him.

Because...because he was hope. Hope of his father's that he would bear the legacy of Krypton, and hope of Earth that it would be able to rest easy from all threats both domestic and foreign. Hope...hope of the Kent's who only wanted him to be a good man.

Right here, right now, Superman reaffirmed an oath he had made to himself and to the world, that he would protect it and never let anything harm it. He would fight to the bitter end, and if it meant that he had to sacrifice his life, then so be it.

There was not going to be another tragedy. Not if he had anything to say about it. No matter what, history was not going to repeat itself, not this time. Even if it meant having to leave Earth itself and take the fight to this Brainiac, then he would do it if it meant sparring the people of Earth another global crisis.

He was Superman, the man who was able to do that which normal people couldn't, who faced threats beyond what others could do, and every time he came out the better for it. The world came out the better for it.

The burning sensation in his chest, one he thought might have been rage, would refuse to believe otherwise.

* * *

Author's note: It's the new year, and we've started off with a big plot point. A reward for patience, or another bit of sadism, you all decide. Thanks for tuning back in and continue enjoying.

FlackAttack: Can't give everything away, though it is a Fortress so it should have a lot of cool stuff in it. And plans for Hawkgirl, that's something for ShadowMajin to comment on, at a later date. As for Green Lantern and his ring, I will confess I am not one hundred percent informed about all its capabilities. More often than not, I get to see its weaknesses, which may make for an interesting story later on down the line. Plus, let's remember, John Stewart is not Hal Jordan, so how they use the rings will be different. Thanks for reviewing.


	11. Confrontation

Confrontation

There was a difference with using an Earth-based computer and one from Krypton. There were small differences, such as user interface, loading speeds, and graphic design, but the bigger ones, such as interpreting and translating Kryptonian text was a godsend.

The code that had once perplexed manmade computing systems were easily taken apart and laid out by the Kryptonian. This was a revelation in and of itself; could this style of code have been commonplace on Krypton? Such a query was conveniently answered when it was spoken out loud, and the answer was yes. It was a code that had perforated every niche and cranny of Kryptonian civilization.

It was fascinating how quick that had happened. According to the Fortress' computer, the widespread use of the code had been quick, "viral" could even be used.

J'onn, despite himself, found himself becoming more and more intrigued by this society and its evolution, but the Martian found himself having to check his curiosity on more than one occasion. Researching the nuances of a civilization that had ended decades ago could wait until after the same threat that had ended it was avert for this world.

That did not mean that J'onn didn't empathize. He knew what it was like to lose your world, not because it was fate or gradual, but because an individual desired it. He knew the anger, the sorrow, and the bitter despair that came with such knowledge. He knew how such knowledge could bring a person to the edge, teetering between remaining balanced and falling into the abyss below.

Batman's revelations of what lied in that abyss was something he was committed to preventing. To keep one such as Superman from falling would be a great undertaking, since what lay in that darkness was death and suffering of an entire planet.

They could not get this wrong.

To understand their enemy, the only means they had available was the weapons they employed. In this case, the robot that Flash had managed to hide away and place in their possession. Currently, they were having the Kryptonian based computer analyze it, doing its best to learn everything it could about this machine.

So far, some of the results had been promising. While they had been calling it a robot, the Fortress computer had determined that despite its appearance, it was not. It was a probe, one with autonomy and weapon-based defense protocols. Its programming was incredibly simple: download all data and information it could, then transmit.

The transmission part of the programming was of particular note. Apparently, when the inevitable transmission was to be sent, it would be done simultaneously with the other probes. That meant all information would be sent at the same time instead of multiple, smaller transmissions. This was very curious.

These were the initial results he presented to the League, Batman at his side. Between the two of them, they had managed to figure out a system upon using the Fortress' computer with their respective research styles. As he had been informed, the Gotham vigilante would be leaving to pursue other leads, but only after the two of them could leave in place a protocol to continue investigating the probe.

"So why all at one time?" Flash wondered, being the first to throw in his commentary. Despite his flippant attitude, the Martian was full aware of the speedster's position as a forensics technician. "Wouldn't it be better to send a bunch of them at different times? You know, that way there's more to intercept or block or whatever."

"Only if you're expecting such a thing ahead of time," Hawkgirl rebuffed. "And this isn't the first time I've encountered something like this. Most don't know this, but when you're sending a transmission through space, you have to put in place safeguards and the like. At its core, a transmission is a form of energy, and energy eventually runs out. Who knows where exactly this transmission was heading or how far away it is. By combining all their transmissions into one, they're strengthening it, improving the chances they'll reach what they're trying to contact. Let's not forget that the natural radiation out there is also degrading the signal; given enough time, it'll make it a bunch of gibberish."

"Which strengthens the argument that this was a reconnaissance mission," Batman concluded for the room. "The sole reason was to gather intel for the purpose of sending it into space."

"Did you find anything that would explain why this reconnaissance was done in the first place?" Wonder Woman asked, her posture stiff with tension. If there was one thing the Amazonian warrior did not like, it was uncertainty. Unfortunately, there had been much uncertainty lately, and the Martian knew there would only be more to come.

"None so far," J'onn answered. "The programming was deliberately kept simple; reasons higher than what and how, such as why, have not been found. These probes were only programmed with one objective and that is to gather all information as quickly and efficiently as possible. We've seen the results of that programming, such as the interference with the electrical grid and cyberinfrastructures."

"Is there something else we can do?" That question directed attention towards Superman who had been keeping to himself, his appearance solemn.

"GL's heading back to Green Lantern HQ, right? We just have to wait for him to come back," Flash reminded them all.

"I mean, is there anything else we can do other than wait for another threat from space to arrive on Earth?" the Kryptonian elaborated.

"What? You mean go to it?" Hawkgirl retorted.

"Why not?" Superman asked in reply. "Why not go to this Brainiac instead of waiting for it to come to us?"

"Maybe because we have no idea where Brainiac is?" the Thanagarian pointed out, placing a hand on her hip.

"But what if we could find out?" the Man of Steel pressed.

"How would we do that?" Flash wondered. "I mean, I know I'm the fastest guy around, but Outer Space is a really big place. Even If I could go up there and, you know, breathe, I'd have to search a lot of space before I found anything. And what would I be looking for anyway?"

"That sounds very tedious and time-consuming," Wonder Woman stated before anyone could give a more...appropriate response to the speedster's suggestion. Even J'onn found himself staring at his teammate blankly.

"Maybe we don't have to," Superman said.

Again, attention was back on the Kryptonian, but it would be Batman who would speak first. "You have a plan?"

Yes, J'onn didn't need the ability of telepathy to know that question was full of sarcasm.

"Think about it. These would have to know where Brainiac is if they were to send a transmission to it," Superman pressed on. "If not the exact location, then a general area. Maybe we could find a way to, I don't know, reverse the signal or transmission and follow where that goes?"

"And risk alerting Brainiac that we're on to it?" Batman answered skeptically. "What you're proposing is sending a transmission of our own for the sole purpose of Brainiac receiving it."

"It could be on its way anyway," Superman argued back, standing straighter. "We know there's a threat coming; why not stop it before it gets here for once?"

"J'onn, is it possible to do what Superman's suggesting?" Hawkgirl cut in before an argument could begin between the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight.

"I will need to consult with the computer, but judging at how advanced it is compared to what is found on this planet, there is a possibility with the Fortress' computer, we could do that, and perhaps in a way that prevents detection." The Martian was not going to keep his thoughts to himself, even though the conversation he had recently had with Batman reminded him to be cautious. There was a real threat out there, and he would rather consider all possibilities before a course of action was decided. They had time to make a choice, the right choice, but that wouldn't happen if he deliberately hobbled their efforts.

"Then do it." It was a bit surprising how much of an order than sounded like, and more than concerning that it came from Superman.

:"The risk is too great," Batman argued, not about to let this go. "If we do this rashly, we could cause more harm than good."

"Then we test it before we try it. We can't just let something horrible happen just because we're afraid we'll speed it up," the Kryptonian retorted. "Is this something you're willing to risk the planet for?"

"Perhaps we should take a vote?" Wonder Woman suggested, looking at the rest of the League. J'onn tightened his jaw, anxiety prompting him to wonder if they were facing a critical moment. The Amazonian continued, seemingly not noticing any tension from the Martian, "All in favor, raise your hand."

Superman doing so was more than expected. However, the Kryptonian kept his eyes on Batman, as if trying to stare the vigilante down. Hawkgirl added her vote in support, and Wonder Woman followed suit.

Predictably, to J'onn at least, Batman did not raise his hand. He himself kept his down, remaining cautious. Maybe not the same kind of caution that Batman was acting under, but caution nonetheless. What was surprising, though, was that Flash kept his hand down.

Eventually, after making sure there would be no more votes in favor, Wonder Woman said, "All those opposed?"

Three hands went down, and three rose. Now J'onn was more surprised as the third hand indeed belonged to Flash.

"Okay, reasons?" Hawkgirl pressed.

"Look, why don't we wait for GL to get back? Shouldn't we at least hear what he finds out?" the speedster asked, unexpectedly giving a rational argument. "I'm ready for a fight as the next person, but for once, I don't think we should rush into this. Even if we could find Brainiac without letting it know about it, then what? Go to it knowing nothing else? What does this thing do? I mean, other than making killer robots. Whatever made those things and destroyed Krypton is not something we should be running to, you know?"

That...was a very well-constructed argument, one that J'onn, to his shame, found himself surprised that his colleague was capable of making. Indeed, if Green Lantern could give them more information, then they could be better prepared. In any case, they could still reverse the signal at a later date.

"We're tied," Batman stated. "There's no tiebreaker here."

"If we cannot agree to proceed with this course of action, then we must set it aside for the time being," Wonder Woman said. "Until such time as someone changes their minds or Green Lantern returns to break the tie, we need to consider a different course of action."

"Why does Batman's vote count?" Superman suddenly demanded, gesturing with an arm to the vigilante. "He resigned. He's not part of the League!"

"Yeah, but did any of us really accept it?" Flash spoke up. "I think we still have the paperwork lying around somewhere, not filed. I know we didn't all agree to it, and doesn't that mean that he's still a part of it? He's helping us now, isn't he? Shouldn't that count?"

"If the League is to act, it needs to have a minimum majority. Because Batman has been assisting us with this case, he should have a say in how we proceed," the Martian Manhunter picked up. "Everyone here has a stake in this. And Flash is also correct in Batman's resignation not being filed."

That received a look from the Dark Knight, one consistent with an eyebrow being raised. It appeared some words would be discussed about it later, but for right now, it was an argument working in the costumed man's favor.

"We shall take time to consider our positions and return to hold another vote later," Wonder Woman decided. Despite her vote in favor, her willingness to side with them tabling the matter for further notice was curious. A simple flicker of her eyes in Batman's direction, though, revealed to the Martian that there may be an ulterior motive.

Regardless, Superman looked befuddled, unable to believe the outcome. Scowling, the Kryptonian spun on his heel, though he did not stomp out of the room. Perhaps that was for the best; the man's strength might have serious consequences for their ability to remain here.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Hawkgirl stated, though she remained, arms crossed under her chest.

That was one sentiment J'onn found he could agree with

* * *

"Can we speak?"

Batman felt himself stiffen. He knew who asked that softly-spoken question. It was said in such a way to make sure the others hadn't heard. In all honesty, he had wanted to avoid the person who had made such a request.

Yet, he had expected this was a likely outcome the moment J'onn convinced him to come to the Fortress of Solitude. Diana could be professional in front of others, but she was not one to let unresolved matters go unresolved. Her persistence to communicate with him following his departure from the League was evidence of this. He had avoided her on his home turf quite easily, but now...now there was nowhere left to run.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw the Amazon standing tall and proud. That hadn't changed at all since the last time he had physically seen her. Her determination was written all over her face. Internally he sighed. Might as well get this over with.

"We may," he answered her. Then without prompting, he began walking towards a corridor, the dark-haired woman following him, quickly moving to walk side by side with him. Seconds ticked by before they came to a stop. Turning to face her as he positioned himself on one side of the hallway, his cape enveloping him, the vigilante asked as neutrally as he could, "What do you wish to speak about?"

To Diana's credit, she didn't look the least bit put off by it. Her tone, on the other hand, spoke volumes. "You know exactly what I wish to speak about. Why did you leave the League? Why did you cut off all communications with us? Why did you _avoid_ us?"

_Us…_ by that she meant herself. "What does it matter why I left?" he returned evenly. "It's not like the League has missed a beat with my absence."

Diana's blue eyes narrowed. That was clearly not the response she wanted. "Your resignation was abrupt and sudden. As far as I can tell, there were no issues between you and the others. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why you would want to leave at all."

"I think we've had this conversation before. Perhaps not exactly in this manner, but close."

"I would argue otherwise."

Batman took in a deep breath, then released it. "You once asked me why I didn't regularly attend League meetings. I gave you my reasons then and you came around to see that perspective. It's not that much different."

"I rather doubt your obligations became all that more pressing," she shot back heatedly. "You saw fit to go undercover for an entire month, then resigned following it. If your obligations were that important, you never would have done that."

"Considering my city was quarantined by the U.S. government, I beg to differ."

"That came long after your resignation, not to mention that situation was resolved to your satisfaction." Diana tilted her head back defiantly. "You're just making excuses on things that were unforeseeable and came to pass."

Batman shrugged his shoulders. "But it did happen regardless."

"You know what I think?" the Amazon pressed. "I don't believe it was anything concerning Gotham. The League has always allowed you allowance to put your city before your league obligations. We even allowed you to handle Harvey Dent's gang war on your terms until there was no other choice."

Unfortunately, she had a point. It seemed stonewalling her on that front was a no-go. At one point, Batman would have been impressed by her deductive reasoning; now he was annoyed.

"And now we've...I've come to find out you've kept in contact with J'onn," she continued. "So that leaves me to believe you found fault with one of us. Did we do something to offend you?" A troubled look appeared on her face. "Did _I_ do something to offend you?"

_With sharp jerk, Diana twisted Cassandra's head to a side, her neck snapping loudly._

Batman clenched his fists tightly. The memory tore through him just as raw as if it happened moments ago. His teeth pressed into each other tightly as he fought back his initial burst of anger. "No," he guardedly responded.

"Then what is it?!" Diana practically exploded with exasperation. Clearly she was done with his reluctance.

However, she didn't need to know the things he had seen, witnessed, and experienced. He had plainly seen how easy it was for her to cross the line no hero should ever crossed. He saw her reasoning, her righteousness, and her determination. In a sick way, her future self's motivation was him. His alleged death had started Diana on her descent into despotism, so naturally if he removed himself as a motivator, that could change her potential fall into dictatorship.

Either that or harden her resolve. It could go either way with her.

Suddenly, Diana was in front of him, a hand resting on his shoulder. He had to resist the urge to pull away. "Bruce, please," she spoke softly, urgently. "We were so close. And this distance doesn't...make sense to me. I deserve some answers."

The change in tactics was startling and Batman couldn't help but feel his heartstrings be pulled. Feeling them and acting on them were two things, however. This did put him at a crossroad though. Either he continued his silent treatment, such as it was, or give her something to pacify her. As much as he preferred the former, perhaps it would be more beneficial to give her some sort of closure. As proud as she was, for her dramatic change in behavior just now spoke volumes as to how this was affecting her.

Taking in another deep breath, he let it out in a sigh. "During my...undercover mission, I came to the realization there were others that needed my attention."

"What others?" Diana was quick to ask.

"My apprentice for one. She didn't handle my absence all that well and I needed to get her righted."

"You're talking about that girl you took in, Batgirl was it?"

"That's right."

"What went wrong with her?"

The dark-clad man gave her a look. "She's a teenage girl that's been horribly abused and only knew how to live with someone telling her what to do. My disappearance didn't do anything to help her."

At least, that's how she used to be. That was the version Diana was familiar with so it didn't hurt to use that to fill his narrative. She didn't need to know that Cassandra was becoming her own person at this time.

"So it was mostly her readjusting then?"

"There were a few other things too. More vigilantes were appearing and I needed to determine their competence. Naturally that's when Bane appeared and things got...hectic."

"Naturally. And you couldn't have told me this before?"

He really didn't have a good response to that, so he shrugged his shoulders. "I wasn't thinking all too well at the time."

"And that's why you pulled away from me at the White House?"

"The White House had all sorts of security footage running. The last thing you or I need is a picture of us embracing for the world media to feast on."

Diana slowly nodded her acceptance. "I hadn't thought of that," she admitted. Then she sighed. "After our current investigation has concluded, I would like to...meet up. To catch up."

"We'll see," he grunted back. "Hopefully this Brainiac threat is resolved quickly. The Earth doesn't need to be facing certain destruction any more than it already is."

Diana nodded her acceptance. "Thank you for your time."

Without further word, the two began walking back the way they came. All things considered, it wasn't a bad conversation. There were a couple things Batman wished he hadn't had to speak of, but he was content in their framing. If all went well, she'd forget about her request to meet later.

He could definitely live with that.

However, the conversation did raise up the specter of what had caused the League to go down its dark path. He may have just altered Diana's possible future, but there was one other person that shaped it and they had the greatest potential to do so at any time.

As with most things, it came back to Superman. He had been visibly shaken by Jor-El's message. Batman couldn't blame him for it either. He didn't have to imagine what the Kryptonian was going through, either.

The Dark Knight could feel that they were on the cusp of something, of which he didn't know and didn't like that he didn't know. Superman could potentially be pushed into becoming his despotic persona with this crisis, or maybe persuaded not down that path.

If his talk with Diana had helped, then this was a good opportunity to steer Superman as well. He had to give it a try at least. The future was dependent on it.

* * *

He was hiding something.

Diana had gotten some answers, which made sense. But she could tell Bruce wasn't telling her everything.

The White House rejection made sense, so she was certain that was the truth. That could be cast off. However, his return from privately investigating Vandal Savage and subsequent resignation was muddled with half-truths. She rather doubted the emergence of other vigilantes in Gotham would distract him the way he claimed they did. Bane and the quarantine of Gotham explained the time after, but it did no such thing about the time between then and the White House.

Then there was the mention of Batgirl. The Amazon felt that was the crux of the matter. She knew a little of the young woman's troubles and her refuge at Wayne Manor. However, she felt that wasn't all. There was something else, something Bruce hadn't mentioned, most likely deliberately.

Everything stemmed from Batgirl, of that she was certain. If Bruce chose to seclude himself back in Gotham, she at least had a starting point to begin investigating. Naturally he would be drawn back into her proximity if she approached Batgirl, so she was needing to tread carefully.

At the very least though, she was beginning to get some kind of answer. She wouldn't stop until she had it all. She hadn't been challenged this way and she was certain to overcome it.

Count on it.

* * *

Steve Trevor kept sharp, keeping an eye on everyone that sat at this conference table. In a room well lit, the bare minimum in decoration that was almost a hallmark of a government facility, many individuals in suits and ties, and in blouses and dress shirts sat in highback leather chairs, files and documents placed in front of each and every one of them.

Everyone here was a high ranking official in A.R.G.U.S., and today they were assembled to go over perhaps the most pressing issue they had this day.

At the head of the table sat an African American man, natural curls cut short and pressed down on his skull, graying on the sides. A thick mustache took up post underneath his nose and dark eyes peered over his clasped hands. This was not a man who was part of the agency, but he did have authority over it. He was Joseph Devol, the Secretary of Defense, and everyone knew him to be a no nonsense type, someone who demanded answers wherever he went.

"Talk to me," Devol demanded. "People want to know about why they lost their power as well as the Justice League fighting it out with a bunch of robots, and frankly, so do I."

While Trevor would have preferred to answer the Secretary, it was not his place. That would be Director Sasha Bordeaux A beauty she was, at an angle. That was why she kept some of her black hair brushed prominently over the left side of her face, primarily over her left eye. It hid a scar, one he had accidentally seen and had internally promised not to say anything about. He had no idea where she got it, and assumed it was something she had received in the line of duty.

With an almost gentle blue eye, the Director answered the Secretary's question. "We are still working to determine the source of these robots. Based on what we have—"

"That is not good enough," Devol interrupted. "You've had nearly a week to figure something out. It's not just me who wants answers."

Bordeaux said nothing for a moment, her eyes closed as she breathed silently. "If you would allow me to answer you, we have made progress. However if you want to bluster and shout instead of getting the answers you want so much, be my guest. We have all day."

Devol glowered. "Don't get cute with me, Bordeaux. Why you were chosen as Director, I don't know, and I am so far unimpressed with your performance."

"It takes time to get some of the best experts on robotics and artificial intelligence together in one room, but we did that. What they have found out is that these robots are not from this world," the Director explained, her gentle blue eye hard. "The only thing that comes close to how advanced the technology found in these things come from the weapons used in the Kalanorian invasion that we confiscated."

Devol was frowning now, but at least he was silent. The Secretary was grasping onto the severity of the situation. However, he only had half of the intelligence they had.

Fortunately, Bordeaux was taking the lead on that as well. "So far we haven't been able to crack the coding used for these robots' programming, but we are working on it. However, based on preliminary findings, what we're dealing with here is more advanced than anything we obtained from the Kalanorians."

"It's from space. That's all I need to know," the Secretary stated. "What are we doing to fight this thing? Does it pose a threat to national security?"

"That is what we are determining." Bordeaux gestured to the dossier that rested in front of the Secretary. "Our preliminary reports can be found in there. Rest assured, you will be informed of any developments as they happen."

"Provided you actually read what's in it," a rough voice spoke dryly.

Immediately, Steve shot a look towards the speaker, finding his, ahem, counterpart in A.R.G.U.S. She was a woman, overweight, and African American. Yet, she was perhaps the most intimidating presence in the room. There were no pleasantries to be spared, no feelings to be nurtured, and nothing that did not relate to the job at hand was given attention. This was Amanda Waller, one of those people everyone knew, wished they didn't know, and wondered how she fit in. Hers was a resume of various government departments, so many that no one could really know who she worked for outside of the American government.

Naturally, her barb set the Secretary off. "Excuse me?" the mustached man growled.

"I don't accept excuses, Secretary. You came to us because you're out of your league," Waller stated.

"This from an agency that's a glorified janitorial service?" Devol retorted.

"We're good at cleaning up messes. I happen to recall personally cleaning up one of yours. Gilgamesh ring a bell?" the plump woman quipped back without a pause or hesitation.

Devol stared hard at Waller, but surprisingly did not continue with any more attacks of his own. Looking down at the dossier in front of him, he opened it up and gave all appearances of reading it. However, it was just for looks, because he soon said, "What's your plan, Director? How do you plan to...handle this situation?"

Clearing her throat, Bordeaux asserted to the rest of them that she would be taking point on this question. "Other than continuing our current investigation, we are looking into ways to counteract, or flat out incapacitate these robots should there be others. To that end, we are looking for weaknesses in the hardware, structural integrity, and researching ways of developing weapons to address any threat they represent. To that end, we are looking into everything from electrical magnetic pulses to computer viruses. I assure you, Secretary, we are on top of this."

"We are also considering other avenues, just in case," Steve spoke up. "We are looking to third parties, such as S.T.A.R. Labs, to see if they might be able to give us insight from another angle. We also have agents checking and crosschecking any individuals or organizations who may have either the knowledge, the resources, or both to construct these robots."

Devol grunted, leaning back in his seat. Steve kept his eyes on the high ranking bureaucrat. Though he was brash, giving him an overload of intel seemed to be enough to shut him down. As long as they made it seem like they were exhausting all possibilities, it should get this man off their backs.

"It does sound like you are on top of this," the Secretary of Defense remarked after a while. "I have one more question. Can anyone here tell me why your department happens to be coming out of the mouths of every newshead in the country? Apparently, rumors have it that you're the ones responsible for the current...situation. There's talk about cover ups, and secret government programs."

"It's just the media doing what it does best, and making a mess out of a mess," Waller stated. "No matter what happens, there will always be some segment of the population that engages in conspiracy theories. It's just a distraction and nothing more. We have more important things to worry about than some nutjobs with wacko ideas and opportunists trying to score points."

"There wouldn't happen to be any truth to these 'wacko ideas,' would there?" Devol asked idly, but it was clear he was fishing for more information.

"I assure you, we knew nothing about all this until it was happening, just like everyone else," Bordeaux assured. "However, we are on top of the situation. We need more time until we are ready to present our findings, and by then have countermeasures in place should there be more to come."

Indeed. There was no way this was going to be an isolated incident, and A.R.G.U.S. was not going to treat it as such. However, the number of unknowns was concerning. Not all possibilities had been assessed yet. Steve, though, knew that before this was over, they would be making moves of their own.

"You better be quick," Devol stated. "The President will only give you so much leeway. You better have results, and quickly. The next time I have to come down here, it will be not as friendly as this."

A threat, not that Steve was really surprised. He kept himself from speaking up, having learned that this was the new normal. It was irritating beyond belief when people who thought themselves high and mighty blustered about, trying to assert their authority over matters which went well about their pay grade. It was a way to grab whatever control they could, Steve knew this, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"We understand," Bordeaux spoke quickly before Waller could throw in her two cents. "If you can get your people to take care of the media attention, we'll take care of keeping this country safe."

"That's my job. You do yours." Devol pushed his chair back, standing up, the dossier tucked under an arm.

Oh, they most certainly would.

* * *

There had been a perceptible change in Superman the moment they had discovered a means to find the general location for Brainiac. He stood taller, straighter. His face had hardened.

Batman knew that look, that stance. The Man of Steel was wafting with vibes of determination. Determination to confront Brainiac and set all of the wrongs it had committed right.

It was why the vigilante had placed himself right next to the Kryptonian shortly there after. Superman hadn't so much as acknowledged his presence either due to him ignoring him, or just not caring enough. That would need to change.

"Superman, a word," Batman said lowly. Superman actually jumped as his head turned to look at him. It seemed he hadn't noticed the dark-clad man at all. Without waiting, Batman began walking away from the rest of the group, heading down a familiar corridor. The red-and-blue-dressed hero was following him and that was good enough for now.

Following the hallway until it ended with a doorway, Batman finally came to a stop and turned to face the Man of Steel. "What is it, Batman?" the dark-haired man asked as he came to a stop before him.

Well, there was no point in beating around the bush. This issue was important enough to not sugarcoat it either. "I know what you're thinking," he told him. "You're thinking about going after Brainiac."

Superman, to his credit, didn't look at him flabbergasted. Instead he narrowed his eyes slightly, the only visible acknowledgement he gave. "Let me guess, you don't want me to."

The Dark Knight nodded. "We don't know enough about this threat for you to dive headfirst. We—"

"I don't care."

That stopped the dark-clad man. If he had been anyone else, his mouth would have dropped open in surprise. Instead he merely stared at the Kryptonian. "Brainiac is responsible for the destruction of billions, trillions even. It could very well be on its way here, or its doing the same thing it did to Krypton to another planet. I can't just let that happen."

"And if you fail?" he countered. "You'd be weakening Earth's ability to fight back. We need you here if and/or when it gets here."

Superman shook his head. "You don't understand at all, Batman. Not on this one."

Was that so? "I can see that you're angry," he spoke calmly. "And your anger is growing with every passing second, with every new piece of information we get on Brainiac. And the fact of the matter is that you're not angry so much as you're in mourning. Brainiac took away the life you could have led on Krypton and that pains you more than anything."

Superman's eyes glazed over as he fell into thought. "I...I guess that's true," he murmured after awhile. "Brainiac took my parents away and I was forced to grow up on a foreign planet."

"I know the feeling," Batman said. "I know it because it's the same way I felt after my parents were gunned down."

That caused the Kryptonian to perk up. Seeing that he had his attention, the vigilante mentally prepared himself to delve into thoughts and feelings he had carefully packaged and tucked away. "When I was a teenager, I tried to find my parent's killer," he explained, his voice steadier than the emotional turmoil these memories tended to bring with them. "I wanted, needed to bring that man to justice. That's what I told myself anyways. In hindsight, it wasn't justice I wanted, but revenge. I wanted revenge for everything that man took away from me: my parents, my happiness...the man I _should_ have been."

"Did you find him?" Superman asked quietly, almost reverently.

Batman shook his head. "No, I never did. I still haven't and I can admit now that it is for the best. Had I found him, I'm not sure if I would have held back. I would have beaten him to death with my bare hands. Don't misunderstand, I want the man behind bars more than anything, but it's perhaps better that this man be apprehended by someone other than me."

By this point, the Kryptonian had lowered his head, his eyes hidden by shadow. However, his hands were clenched tightly into fists. "Maybe that is best for you," he admitted, "but I now know who killed my parents and I know where it's at. This is perhaps my only chance at stopping it and making it pay for everything it's done."

"And we'll do it smartly," Batman was quick to add. "Regardless of what Brainiac has taken from you, you have managed to make a life for yourself here on Earth. You have a family that cares very much for you in the Kents, don't you?"

Superman's head jerked up at the mention of his foster family. It was like he had been doused with a bucket of cold water. For once, Batman felt he had found a way to persuade the hard-headed Kryptonian. "What would they think of this?" he pressed. "Would they want you going after Brainiac half-cocked, or would they want you to handle this like any criminal you apprehend in Metropolis? Would they want the man they love and support to become a blood-thirsty angel of vengeance, or...or would they want him to be the symbol of hope he has become?"

A troubled look appeared on the Kryptonian's face. Batman took that as a positive; the dark-haired man was actually thinking now and not reacting. Taking a step towards him, he placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Now is not a time for action," he said softly, comforting. "Now is the time to think our way through this. Regardless of what we do, Brainiac has its sights set on this planet and will be coming here eventually. I understand wanting to stop the threat before it gets here, but there are too many unknowns. What you need to do is cool off, go sort your feelings out. Talk to someone you trust and let them guide you through this."

Several seconds passed and for a brief moment, the vigilante wasn't sure if his words had gotten through. But then Superman sighed and he felt the man's shoulder sag. "There's...there's someone I can talk to."

_Perfect._ "Then go talk with them. Get yourself in order. We need you to be thinking clearly and not muddled with thoughts of vengeance."

Slipping his hand off, Batman watch Superman straighten his posture, giving him a nod of acceptance. "I'll go do that." Then the red-and-blue-clad man turned around and headed back the way they had come.

Batman resisted the urge to sigh with relief. That had gone better than he thought it would. He had a couple more arguments ready to go, though they wouldn't have the same impact as his own desire for vengeance against his parent's killer. If push came to shove, he would have opened the door behind him and showed him the zoo of alien lifeforms he had collected. The Kryptonian database had revealed them to be the sole-survivors of their own homeworlds, just like Superman. The visual would hopefully get his attention.

For now though, he'd take solace in that he was able to reach the man. If he was too far gone, he would've resisted his words, burying himself in self-righteousness, not that he could blame him.

And hopefully, whomever he went to talk to could further calm him down.


	12. Memento

Memento

Secretary Devol's idea of smoothing things over was with a press conference.

Steve couldn't help but feel this was a bad idea. As brash and heavy-handed as the Secretary could be, he didn't get to where he was by being stupid. Like all politicians, he had an ulterior motive for this, but for the life of the intrepid soldier and A.R.G.U.S. agent, he couldn't figure it out.

However, Director Bordeaux had agreed to it. Then she had turned to Waller to see how they could use this to their advantage. To be fair, Waller was the type of person who could turn a disadvantage to an advantage. There was her secretive project called Task Force X that she was working on which stood as a testament to that.

Devol had gone all out and gotten them the Briefing Room in the White House. Unexpected, but the media exposure was going to be through the roof. Maybe that was the intention. Regardless, he was standing up on that stage, the Director herself taking point at the podium that most journalists were familiar with.

The flashes from various cameras, the large number of eyes trained on them, and all the attention but him on edge. Under the right circumstances, Steve could schmooze with the best of them. Like some of the best, dealing with the media tended to be more of a mixed bag. At the very least, Bordeaux would be handling the exposure; he just needed to stand there and look pretty for the cameras.

"As the people of this great nation know, several days ago, our nation, the world even, was under attack by a foreign aggressor," Director Bordeaux began. In a blouse and dark blue jacket, her hair once again styled to hide the scar just over her left eye, the dark-haired woman presented herself professionally. "There were power outages. Our electrical grid and cyberinfrastructure came under fire. The Justice League came down to handle the threat and end it. These are the facts which no one can deny.

"Everything else that came after has been subject to speculation, and wild theories have run about. Today, I would like to take some time to assure you and the public about what's really going on and hopefully dispel any and all suspicions and paranoia. The incident that occurred this past Wednesday did indeed happen, and we are still assessing any and all damages that may have resulted from it, including both cyberinfrastructure and property damages."

Steve kept himself calm, alert for any and all threats. Was it strange for him to see the gathering of reporters as a threat? A danger that could lash out at any time, even though the worst they could do was sensationalize an already sensational incident?

He needed to trust that the speech that they had written up for Bordeaux would be enough. The Director had been run through multiple scenarios, as demanded by Waller no less, asked variations of the same questions, sometimes even asked out there questions. Tempers had flared, toes were stepped on, calls to back out were made, but they were here at long last. There was no going back now.

"This attack, for that is what it is, was not isolated only to our nation," the Director continued. "Other nations, both allies and enemies have reported similar, if not identical attacks. We are still in the midst of contacting our counterparts across the world, pooling what information each of us has gathered. It is a work in progress, and I ask for the public's continued patience until we have ascertained the motives and the purpose of this incident."

Flashes from the cameras were a constant onslaught, never ending, and completely nerve wracking for the soldier now government agent. Why did they have to let cameras in here? At least turn the damn flashes off; it made this a security nightmare. Who knew when one of those flashes would have a bullet following after it, not that Bordeaux was high profile enough to warrant such a thing just yet.

"As for the hacking and infiltration of the cyberinfrastructure, again, we are still assessing and processing the extent of the damages. Keep this in mind, the extent of this cyberattack was so great, all levels of every digital network, not just in the United States, but the whole world, was hacked. What this attacker was looking for, we do not know, and will inform you, the public, what it is once we know what it is and how it affects you. Unfortunately, due to the large scale of the attack, this is something that may take weeks or months to investigate and I ask for your continued patience."

The only reason why the reporters had yet to jump down Bordeaux's throat, yet was because they had yet to enter the question asking phase of the conference. It was protocol for these things, to allow the person or persons the chance to inform everyone then allow questions as follow up. Steve was dreading the questions, because every single one of those journalists were at their limits holding back. Once the go ahead was given, it would be like a pack of wolves pouncing on them for the slaughter.

Suddenly, espionage looked so much more inviting.

A glance to the Director gave the blond man the blink and you miss it sight of Bordeaux taking a deep breath. This was the part of the conference that had had much debate, but his side of it had prevailed.

Then again, how was he to do his job to the best of his abilities unless he had the go ahead to do it? There was a reason why A.R.G.U.S. was formed, but due to recent upheavals in the government, well, much of that had been put on the back burner until it was most appropriate to get back to it.

"I will not mince words here," Bordeaux spoke again, the dark-haired woman not wavering once, "this is a mystery, one we are determined to solve. To achieve, and to be sure that all available resources have been exhausted, I will announce here and now the intention of our agency, A.R.G.U.S., the Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans, to pursue a liaison with the Justice League and form a united partnership in order to address whatever threat this recent attack represents until such time as it is neutralized and our national security is assured. To the Justice League, if you are watching, know that despite out initial encounters, we are not your enemies would extend any olive branch in the spirit of cooperation as well as peace for our world.

"The decision to accept is up to you."

There, the announcement he was waiting for. This is what A.R.G.U.S. was created for; to create a link between Washington and the independent Justice League, a group that had no allegiance to the United State or any other country in the world. Naturally, a group with the kind of power the League had was a cause for both hope and concern, but mainly concern for those in the government who felt that someone else was budding into their arena.

The die was rolled and from this point on, it was waiting for the response.

"The floor is now open for questions."

* * *

Should it have been a surprise the Fortress of Solitude picked up cable network TV?

Batman watched as the press conference went on, a horde of journalists trying to shout over each other to ask Director Bordeaux questions, usually the same three or four said in slightly different ways. The vigilante had been behind the podium himself and he knew how those people acted. As if they thought the speaker couldn't tell they were asking the same thing.

However, the message of the conference was interesting. A.R.G.U.S. was requesting cooperation from the Justice League, after everything it had done to exclude them. This smelled as if they were trying to distract the public from their activities. No doubt there would be people calling for the League to lend their assistance.

"These guys have got some balls," Flash said bluntly as he continued to stare at the monitor screen. "We were basically told to piss off by these guys and now they want our help? I don't think so."

"It is a change in tone," J'onn admitted. "I wonder what is at the heart of this change."

"That isn't much of a stretch," Hawkgirl was quick to say. "I bet you if we were to look at the news surrounding the probes, someone somewhere announced to the world that A.R.G.U.S. was involved and that put them on the defensive. Most likely it was a leak."

That was Batman's thoughts exactly. Then, Superman actually spoke up to the contrary. "As far as I can tell, the first mentioning of A.R.G.U.S. was from Lois Lane's piece and I know for a fact she got it from Lex Luthor. After her piece went out, that's when you had a flood of journalists trying to get interviews and scoops on A.R.G.U.S."

Luthor? Batman felt his eyes narrowing. How did Luthor learn about A.R.G.U.S.? Then he remembered LexCorp had been one of the many places attacked by the Brainiac probes. No doubt the billionaire would want to find out what attacked him and destroyed his cybersecurity infrastructure. That would have led him to A.R.G.U.S. and most likely they stonewalled him just like they had done with the League.

It seemed there was another player in this matter.

"Well, I'm all for blowing these government agents off," Flash said. "We've come further than they have and without any of their help. We've got this handled."

"I don't think we should turn away from this either," Hawkgirl interjected. "Despite our recent history, these guys just invited us with open arms to help. Maybe we can use this as a way to find out what they've uncovered. Rather than us helping them, they'll be helping us."

"I can speak with Steve Trevor again," Diana volunteered. "I can act as the liaison between them and us."

"That's not a bad idea," Batman concurred, which earned him the other's attention. "Diana's position and status in the world will keep A.R.G.U.S. from trying to double-cross us, at least through public opinion. Whatever smear campaign they try will be second-guessed by the public initially and we can use that to turn their tactics against them."

A smirk appeared on Hawkgirl's face. "I like the sound of that."

"Then let's do it that way," Superman said. "Diana, you go talk to Trevor and find out whatever A.R.G.U.S. has uncovered. J'onn, I'm certain you want to continue using the Fortress' database and mainframe to uncover more about Brainiac."

The Martian nodded his agreement. "I do."

"What about the rest of us?" Hawkgirl asked. "I rather not sit around twiddling my thumbs."

"I guess the rest of us can help J'onn or Diana," the Kryptonian suggested, slightly shrugging his shoulders. To Batman, it looked as if the dark-haired man had other ideas, particularly pertaining to himself. "I have an errand to run myself. Those with secret identities may want to go secure theirs and come up with cover stories."

"That's a good idea," Flash agreed. "It might take me a day or two to arrange some time off from the lab."

"I'll do my own investigation," Batman said then. "There might be something else we're missing and I'd like to cover our bases."

Superman nodded his acceptance. "Alright, just be careful." Then he stood up from his seat. "Now if no one has anything further to add, I have to go. I'll be back soon."

Batman kept an eye on the Kryptonian as he made his way out of the room. For once, he wasn't sure what the man was up to, but he could only hope that their short conversation was still on his mind. They couldn't let him act brash, not when they knew so little of this potential threat. They were already down Green Lantern and he was a powerhouse all of his own. They couldn't afford to be down two heavy hitters.

* * *

It wasn't all too surprising that A.R.G.U.S. would respond this way. Luthor had been expecting some kind of response. While it was a sign that the government agency was scrambling about, trying to do damage control, the announcement of their intentions to seek council with the Justice League was unexpected.

The CEO had been expecting whoever ran A.R.G.U.S. to adhere to the current, nationalistic political climate, but it appears he had erred on that account. Then again, despite his best efforts, even he hadn't been able to learn all he could about this secretive group.

Yes, there was a government website, but if you read between the lines, you would realize that it was nothing more than gibberish. Other public information was the same, including the little tidbits given to the media. The agents that were selected for the group went through a screening process so intense and thorough that it difficult to get a mole in. So far, his attempts had been unsuccessful, but one day, with the right candidate, it would be achievable because nothing was impossible for Lex Luthor.

Until then, he would exploit them from the outside, such as making them scapegoats.

Beside him, always on guard, was Mercy. "So where do we go from here?" the no-nonsense woman spoke, her question more of a statement than a query.

Luthor took his time, considered all the possibilities he could, before he answered. "It is too much to hope that the Justice League and A.R.G.U.S. butt heads with one another. However, as today as shown, anything is possible. I have no one in any position on either side to interfere or sabotage any relations that are born from this. The only thing that I have going is that the Justice League was unable to get its hands on one of the robots before A.R.G.U.S. confiscated them. Wouldn't it be something if they had managed to do so and kept such knowledge out of A.R.G.U.S.'s hands? That would be awkward on the League's part if it ever came out."

It wasn't something to be counted on. The worst case, and the most vomit inducing, was that the two groups would get along and start singing Kumbaya around a proverbial campfire. Such a thing couldn't be allowed, but prevention was not a weapon he could use at this point.

Looking away from the large screen television, the tycoon looked down at an iPad, one that had other sources of information about the press conference on it. One small window on the small screen was a livefeed from a social media site with comments from the public lighting up the feed at a rapid pace.

There were comments that were supportive, such as "Yes! Let's get Superman on this!" or "About time. Lord knows we need the help." There were also some, ahem, "emojis" and such also expressing approval. Then there were those who opposed such a move, saying things like "We don't need outsiders' help." or "America's got this, we don't need some aliens' help" and then there was his personal favorite, "Fucking traitors. Somebody needs to remind them what being an American is."

Yes, much of these comments were censored because Luthor was not a man who reveled in being obscene for the sake of being obscene. Also, hashtags were completely beneath him. That, and spelling and grammar mistakes. So naturally, what he actually read, was severely parred down.

Still, there was a national divide over this conference, and it was something he could use. After all, all of this was buying him time to continue his own research. Speaking of which…

"Any reports from Happersen?"

"Nothing new yet," Mercy reported. "They are still working on the translation according to your instructions."

Luthor grunted. "They need to step it up. They're working on borrowed time as it is. The sooner they can get that code translated, the sooner I can try to replicate it and the robot itself. As soon as that can be done, there will be no further need to continue hiding it."

"Then what? Try and sneak it back to A.R.G.U.S. while they're still trying to put out the media fire?" the bodyguard asked.

The bald CEO stifled a snort. "Why do something as stupid as that? It's too important to simply give back to the government. No, I'm not about to do that. Perhaps reverse engineer the software and replace what's damaged. It's still too early to decide and frankly, I am not about to go thar far into the future. Instead, I'll focus on the here and now and buy Happersen time."

"How will you go about it?" Mercy inquired, speaking for the sake of putting the words out there.

"A.R.G.U.S. is trying to make friends, and according to the livefeed, controversial ones. There may be a way to use it, but it'll have to be opportunity," Luthor thought aloud. He tapped a finger against the flat surface of his desk, a purposeless gesture that at best could create a tempo for his thoughts to follow. "That a relationship between our two would-be friends hasn't happened yet speaks to there being something else beneath the surface. There's no sense speculating what. So I'll put some pressure on the people I do have positioned and see if I am able to create an opportunity to create conflict in the ranks." It did not need to be said that under the circumstances, that was the best he could do.

Time, that ever precious resource, time. Even the best couldn't hold a candle to the foolmaker that was time. Yet, time was what he needed.

It was the only thing that mattered.

* * *

The sky was like a blanket full of white pinpricks, yet it was a sight that could captivate anyone with its beauty should they ever look up. Each of these little pinpricks twinkled, glowing brighter then dimmer only to brighten once more. In hindsight, each one of those little bots may have had life near them, orbiting them, worlds teeming with untold life.

All of this hung over a two-story farm house in the middle of rural America. Manmade light filtered through the windows, and if one stood in the right place, they would be able to maybe spot a small family in there, gathered around a table in the kitchen. All were adults, but the way they were relaxed around one another would suggest familiarity. Two of them possessed gray to white hair, signifying their age. The third still possess black, and was much more youthful than the other two.

It created a dynamic of a son returning home to pay a visit to his parents. A social call to catch up on one another's life, and to share stories they would entertain or to describe the extent of a problem one of them was facing.

"I think some things are better left in the past, Clark," a gracefully aging woman remarked, even as she ladled out a generous portion of mashed potatoes.. Having given up the battle against the changing color of her hair, Martha Kent was still a force to be reckoned with. The kitchen was her domain, and no one, not even a superpowered Kryptonian would be able to tell her what to do. If she wanted to serve her son with the best of her home cooking, she was going to do so and he was going to enjoy it.

Not that that last part was hard to do. Ma Kent always did know how to make a savory roast.

In one hand, Clark held a fork, and in the other a yeast roll—homemade, not store bought because the former was not allowed in this house. "If what my father said was true, there's something out there that murdered an entire planet. It needs to be stopped."

Ma Kent shook her head, even as she served herself. A metal serving spoon clacked against the ceramic plate, an attempt to coax more potatoes off the serving instrument. "I don't like this, Jonathan," the elder woman stated, her worried eyes expressing distaste for the situation behind a pair of glasses not unsimilar to the one her son wore.

His hand still holding a roll, a bite taken out of it, Clark held it up a little higher than normal. "Um, Ma? I'm right here."

"I don't like this," Ma reiterated, turning back to her son. "What are these things doing here? Why did they come now? What do they want?"

From his seat, Jonathan Kent, or Pa as he would always be known here, spoke up. "It sounds like reconnaissance to me. General information gathering and the like. Just, wasn't subtle about it. Made a lot of kids, both young and adult, lose their internet for longer than a minute. Terrifying, I know."

"Jonathan," Ma reprimanded, rolling her eyes as she took a seat. With a fork, she stabbed into some of her roast with unnecessary force. It caused the metal prongs of the eating utensil to scrape against the plate, and for a man with superhearing, it was really high up there in the decibels.

Clark appreciated the joke. Though sometimes Pa's sense of humor was out there, and a lot of the time, it tended to be what one would call dad humor, it was enough to make him stop for a moment, forget about the situation, and enjoy the precious seconds of levity before returning to the matter at hand.

"We're...I was thinking about reversing the transmission signal one of the probes used. If I could use one of the ships I have in the Fortress, I could go out there, and find where Brainiac came from and stop it before it becomes a threat to Earth." From behind his glasses, Clark peered up at his parents.

Ma had stopped eating, fork and knife placed on the table with her hands still clenching onto them. Pa hadn't missed a beat, and was still chewing. Ma would be the first to speak, but by now she was repeating herself. "I don't like this."

Taking a glass of water, Pa took a long sip, and it was only after he put it down when he said casually, "When you're done, come outside with me."

There was no inflection in Pa's voice that gave away what he was thinking. Clark had met a lot of people in his life whom he had trouble reading, but if anyone had the top spot, it was Pa. No matter how hard he would try, even when he was growing up, he could never predict what the older man would say. It caused a bit of anxiety within him, the kind that only a parent could cause in their kid.

There was another meaning to Pa's words, though. Drop the subject, it's upsetting your mother. That part was clear and you didn't need superpowers or incredible deductive reasoning to pick that up. It made Clark recall how he referenced Jor-El, and in front of Pa as well, making him internally wince.

Pa was his father, no matter what. Yet, ever since he had learned who he was, his Kryptonian nature, the dark-haired man had struggled to reconcile parentage. Jor-El and Lara were his parents biologically, but Ma and Pa raised him, raised him to be right, to do right by others. Jor-El and Lara never had the chance, murdered by Brainiac.

Them, along with the rest of Krypton.

It was after supper was done, and Ma began clearing off the table, that Clark found himself outside of the farmhouse, Pa at his side as the two walked beneath the starry sky above. It was from one of these many stars that he had first known life, and ever since all he had been able to do was look up at them, wondering which one of those stars was the one. Not this night, though. Not with Pa right next to him.

"Ma's not happy," Clark eventually said, dead grass crunching underneath his shoes.

"Your mother is just worried about you," Pa confirmed, his pale blue eyes looking straight ahead and at the barn that was just ahead of them. "We both are. Ma is just...well, you know how she is when it comes to you. Always worried."

"Then she's been worried a long time," the glasses-wearing male said ruefully.

"Of course. What parent wouldn't be worried?" Pa remarked. "What you were talking about in there. You were talking about fighting something unknown. What do you really know about this Brainiac, other than what's on some computer? You have no idea what you're facing."

"You could say that about everything I've fought," Clark retorted.

"There's a difference between things made on Earth, and things out there," was the quick response. "It is not things here that I'm worried about. I know that you can handle those, even though I do worry about you. Ever since that day we found you in that cornfield, I've always look up there and wondered what else is out there and would it one day come looking for you? You've always managed to attract trouble, like any normal kid."

"Just not intergalactic trouble," Clark said grimly, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Trouble is trouble, intergalactic or not," Pa grunted. As the pair arrived at the barn, Pa was the one who insisted on opening it up. Sure, Clark could have done it himself, but Pa's days of opening and shutting the barn were numbered. This was something he could have, and the younger man would allow it.

The thing about barns was that the insides were always dirty; there was never any sense in cleaning it outside of maybe sweeping the floor every now and then. This led to dirt getting everywhere else with perhaps one exception: Pa's tools. The workbench they were hung over or laid on could have used a good wiping, but the tools were well maintained. However, it was under the bench where various boxes were stored that Pa went to, bending down on aging knees to do so. Clark wanted to volunteer, but again, there were things he needed to back away from because they were things Pa felt he still needed to do.

The Kyptonian held too much respect for the elder man to deny him much of anything. The sounds of Pa rifling through boxes was the only sound that existed between the two of them.

Eventually, Clark spoke, "You don't think I should go, do you? You don't think I should go out there and try to find Brainiac." It was easy to tell that Ma didn't want him to; she was afraid he'd get hurt despite the fact that the majority of ways to hurt a person didn't affect him.

"I've long ago decided that I wasn't going to stand in your way when it came to making decisions," Pa answered. "You're a grown man, that's your right. Heh." Pausing, Pa turned his body slightly, holding up a hand that held a torn-up baseball. The outer covering was falling apart and stitches barely held what remained. "Remember this?"

It took the younger man a moment, thinking hard about why Pa would have such a ratty baseball. Why would he keep it, and in the barn no less?

Then there was a memory, one from what felt like a lifetime ago. He had been twelve, and the two of them had been playing ball. As Pa had explained it, it was a way for him to practice control, to make sure the ball didn't go into lower orbit. Their game ended after the first hit, a beautiful home run that kept going and going and going and going until even he had lost sight of it. But...could this really be the same ball?

"I spent six months trying to find this dang thing," the older Kent explained, his eyes trained on the "baseball" fondly. "Found it in one of Bill Hubbord's fields. He thought I was crazy when I told him I was looking for arrowheads."

An arrowhead indeed. Clark couldn't help the small smile that grew on his face as the memory had grown clearer. It had taken several swings before he had managed to hit the dang thing. Pa hadn't gotten mad then, had congratulated him on the nice hit. Even though their game ended then and there, that hadn't stopped his adoptive father from getting him an ice cream.

Then he noticed that one of the boxes that Pa had been going through, there were other things in it. The dark-haired man soon realized that what might have looked like some really strange odds and ends were anything but. They were mementos, from the pair of sneakers that had been worn out the day he first outran the truck, the oil slick shirt from when he had accidentally damaged the oil tank on the same truck, a cracked pair of glasses that were slightly smaller than the pair he wore now. A ball of barbed wire that was literally crushed into that shape, a rock with a handprint in it, the remains of an old barbeque pit—there really hadn't been much left of it after his heat vision spontaneously ignited the propane tank—the remains of the propane tank, a dirtied shin guard, so many things from a time that felt so long ago.

"You...you kept all this?" There was a strong emotion welling within the man, one in his chest that seemed to spread with every second.

"I knew we couldn't keep you.' Pa gave him a smile. "It would be selfish, and it isn't like you to keep to yourself, especially when you could help someone. I've known that your place was out there, wherever it was you ended up. You're too important, to the world, to the universe. But even an old man like me needs to hold on to something. Since I couldn't hold on to you, I'd hold on to the things that made me smile, that made me proud to be your father."

Right now, he could identify that powerful emotion: pride. Proud that his Pa thought of him this way, willing to let him leave, but keep some kind of keepsake because he was that important to the older man. Now, though, some guilt was slipping in. Ever since he had seen the recording of his father, and the message to run, his thoughts about been all about a man whom he had never been able to meet. Yet, here was the man who raised him, who was there for him when he needed a father.

It was almost like he had forgotten him, swept up in a rage of fury and anger to the latest threat to his home. It made the Kryptonian clench his fists tightly.

"If...if I were to go out there, and find Brainiac, no, if you were the one who went out there, what would you do?" Once more, the powerful Kryptonian felt like a child, one looking up to his parent, hoping for any kind of guidance.

Pa was listening, he always was. "I can't tell you what to do, Clark. I really can't." With a hand on his workbench, the aging farmer pulled himself back onto his feet. "But since you asked, if it were me, I would want answers. Whoever or whatever this Brainiac is, it has done a lot of harm. It destroyed a world you could never know, not even in a million years. But not get answers, to give into vengeance, that would make you no better than it, right? And then what? For the souls lost, they need justice, not revenge. Brainiac needs to answer for its crimes, before a jury of its peers, whatever that might be. But those are my thoughts. Whatever you have to do, you do it, but do it because it's right."

There was a burning in his throat, the same one anytime Clark felt like crying. How long had it been since the last time?

"Though, there is one thing I am thankful for this Brainiac for." Blue eyes snapped back to the farmer. Pa then made eye contact with him, and the wrinkles on his face had never looked so clear. "I was able to be your Pa, and there is nothing I would trade the world for if it meant losing that. I know it's hard to grasp, knowing that you are constantly between two worlds, always apart yet wanting to be a part of both. No matter what, you can always count that I'll be there, always at your side. That's what a father does for his child."

The burning now was in his eyes, but eyelids held back all but a tear. Wiping it away, Clark composed himself, even as he looked away. Because of that action, he noticed a horseshoe hanging up on a nail. It was supposed to be used for one of the horses, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember which. Judging by some of the rust on it, it had been hanging there for some time.

Taking a few steps to it, he picked it up and held it before himself, the Kryptonian lifting his glasses up as the pupils began to turn red. Twin beams fired out, angled in such a way that they met at the exact point. Seconds passed, the beams stopping for less than a second multiple times until they stopped completely, and Clark lowered his glasses once more.

Turning back to Pa, he held the horseshoe out to the man. "Here's something else for you to hold on to," he said, smiling as best as he could under the circumstances.

Curious, Pa took the horseshoe, and his silence said volumes. Nothing else needed to be said, only the way a smile lifted the old man's face.

Clark was already leaving the barn, but what he had left on the horseshoe was still clear in his mind's eye.

_World's Greatest Dad_

Even with his Kryptonian heritage, he wouldn't trade his childhood growing up as a Kent for anything.

* * *

FlackAttack: We can't all be caricatures, even someone as goofy as Wally West needs a serious or reasonable moment. Same goes with Batman always competent, Superman the symbol of hope, and Wonder Woman always headstrong. Without those little out of character moments, they become so boring, don't they? Speaking of, for a woman with a Lasso of Truth, I would think she would begin picking up on the little tells that give away liars. Behaviors, certain phrases and ways of speaking. Once you hear the lie, then use the lasso, eventually, you get good at picking up on bullshit.

You know, I forget is Clark knows that Lois knows. I do recall that he knows she was in Gotham and had met Batman, but if the Man of Steel knows his bigger than life crush knows about a certain vigilante's alter ego, you might want to ask ShadowMajin. And on that note, I know we've mentioned a time or two to one another on how we could introduce Supergirl, but as far as I recall, I don't think we've come up with anything concrete yet. A lot of things aren't concrete yet. Thanks for reviewing.

Guest: The first story is _The Nineth Circle_, and you can find it on my co-author ShadowMajin's account. When you finish one, be sure to read the author's notes at the bottom, they'll tell you which story is next and where to find it.


	13. Advancing Forward

Advancing Forward

If Diana didn't know any better, she would have thought Steve and A.R.G.U.S were being sincere.

Unlike the abrupt hallway meeting, the Amazon found herself seated at a table in an empty cafeteria. According to Steve, this was a dead period for the cafeteria, though there were usually a few people snacking, or surfing the web. All had been cleared, including the kitchen staff, to empty the room completely. The doors were locked, so there was little chance of anyone entering.

Naturally, there had to be bugs all over the place. No way would government officials not observe a meeting between themselves and the Justice League.

Seated on the other side of the table was Steve, who looked tired. His clothes were impeccably immaculate, like he usually kept them, but some of his hair was out of its normally combed style, giving him a slightly disheveled look. "Hey, Diana," he greeted her warmly.

Again, it stood in stark contrast to their first meeting. "You look tired, Steven," she returned, allowing some of her concern to show in her voice.

Steve sighed, his shoulders shrugging. "It's been a busy few days. I've got directors and secretaries and politicians demanding answers I simply don't have. I don't think they appreciate just what we're doing."

"And what's that?"

"Investigating the robots, much like what you'd be doing if you had one, I suppose. These things are incredibly advanced. It's not like anything I've ever seen."

So that meant A.R.G.U.S. was trailing behind the League's investigation. "What can we do to help?"

"Not much unless you have a computer system that can figure out the coded software. It's absurdly short from what I've been told."

Diana did not need Batman's voice in her head to know she should decline, or at the very least play dumb. Both conflicted with her honest and upfront natural, so finding something that was both truthful yet gave nothing away took a little effort. "I don't know how advanced your computer systems are. For all we know, they could be the same as the ones on the Watchtower, so we'd may make as much headway as you have."

"But you do have other ways of looking at things," Steven countered. "You've got a few aliens on your team, so maybe they might recognize the software codes. It's at least worth a try."

That was a good point, though the Amazon knew their interstellar comrades knew little more than what most of the men working with Steve would. "I suppose I could deliver a copy of the code if you get—"

Like magic, Steve pulled out a flash drive and placed it on the table between them. "This has all of the research our team has managed to collect. Good luck with it."

That was...so sudden. It was almost as if Steve had been trying to steer the conversation this way. Diana wondered why. Looking at the flash drive, she then reached out and accepted it, picking up and placing it closer to her on the table. "I'll let you know what we find out. Is there anything else I need to know about?"

Steve shrugged. "Not that I know of. I just know that if we crack this code, we can learn so much about these things. I literally have computer experts dying to get an interpretation. We might even be able to create a countermeasure against them if they decide to show up again."

That wasn't a bad idea, which made Diana wonder if perhaps the League should share their findings. Obviously not right now since it was quite apparent Steve—and thus A.R.G.U.S.—did not know of the probe that Flash managed to obtain. They could take a couple days and then relay their findings. It was something to bring up to the rest of the League once she met up with them.

"So...Diana," Steve suddenly spoke, his tone different from the official one had been using thus far. "I have to ask this, just between friends. Completely off the record."

The dark-haired woman nodded. "What is it?"

"Are you part of that Power Couple thing with Superman?"

Power Couple? What was—oh. Immediately, Diana frowned, sighing her frustration soon after. "I wish the media would just drop that," she groused.

A bemused look appeared on the blond man's face. "That's a no, I take it."

"That's correct. I never should have gone to the party with him. Ever since, everyone seems to think we are doing ungodly things on the Watchtower."

Steve chuckled. "You're telling me. Why did you two go to that party, if you don't mind my asking?"

Well, it had been such a long time and Steve was a friend. Diana couldn't see any reason to not tell him, of course keeping certain parts of the story confidential. He didn't need to know _everything._ "As you're aware, it was just before the Kalanorian Invasion. The League was conducting an investigation and had sent one of our own to discover a connection between a supply of weapons and the party's host."

Steve blinked his eyes. "Frederick Dorsey was an arms dealer?"

"An unwitting one, as it turned out. The Kalanorian's were using their telepathy to brainwash him. Anyways, we sent in an investigator who was...rude about conducting the investigation their way. I'm afraid that rubbed me the wrong way and so I took Superman with me to prove them wrong."

Her friend's eyes widened. "You..._forced_...your way into an investigation?"

A sheepish look appeared on her face. "More like I blew it. He ripped into me afterwards and I have to admit I was in the wrong."

That caused Steve's eyes to narrow. "He…" he murmured. "I'm going to assume it was Batman."

For a moment, Diana wondered if perhaps she had revealed too much. "Why do you say Batman?" she asked guardedly.

"It shouldn't be too much of a surprise that just about every government agency, here and foreign, keeps an eye on Justice League activities," he explained. "That includes all members, at least what we can uncover anyways. There's the usual stuff, like Superman and you being incredible strong and Green Lantern's power ring being powered by will. A toddler knows that stuff. Most of it is just to determine if you're a threat to the country. As far as Batman is concerned, he does have the reputation for being the World's Greatest Detective. Logically, he'd be your investigator."

That made sense, though Diana was perturbed to know the U.S. government was keeping tabs on them. That was definitely something to tell the others. "Is there anything else we need to discuss?" she asked, steering the conversation back to the original topic.

Steve stared at her before he suddenly looked over his shoulder. Then he leaned towards her. "This is still off the record," he whispered lowly. "I haven't been given the go-ahead to tell you this, but it _might _help your side of things. There's a missing robot and A.R.G.U.S. has been looking under every tree and stone to find it. We know it exists because we did a count the moment we collected the robots and now one's gone."

Gone? Diana was frowning again. "Do you think someone stole it?"

"That's the only reasonable conclusion I can think of. If I were you, I'd keep your eyes open for it. There's no telling who has it, or what they intend to do with it."

She nodded her understanding. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Don't go blabbing about this to everyone, okay? I don't need my bosses getting wind of this and coming after me."

"You have my word. Thank you for your time, Steven."

A small smile appeared on his face. "It was good to see you again, Diana. Truly."

* * *

There were a few strikes of keys on the touchscreen monitor. Every finger touch caused the touched key to light up, dimming only when the next key was touched.

Looking from the screen, J'onn stared at the probe, waiting a moment until the robot raised up its right arm.

It seemed his constant study was beginning to pay dividends. Thanks to the Fortress of Solitude's database, he had a full interpretation of the probe's software and inner workings. Currently he was inputting commands, ones that were delivered from the computer to the probe via cables connecting the two. He hadn't tested the weapon systems as of yet, mostly because he did not want to cause any damage to this place.

Inputting another command into the computer, he watched as the robot lowered its right arm back to its side on the table, then saw it raise its left leg, bent at the knee.

Glancing to another computer monitor, he saw line after line of the alien code appear, writing itself from left to right in its foreign symbols. A few seconds went by before it ended. So far, the Martian was getting the hang of this. He was beginning to see commonalities in the usage of each symbol with the various actions he ordered.

Feasibly, he could create a computer virus that could incapacitate the probes when a certain line of code was processed. It was a standard viral payload cyber security forces on Mars used with which he was familiar. Though he was proud of his people's accomplishments, they were just as susceptible to feelings of greed and deception. Some had turned to criminal activities rather than helped with the advancement of their society, thus the need for security measures.

The virus would most likely be their best weapon; however, the introduction of that virus to Brainiac's probes was an issue. Though he needed confirmation and that would require a closer look to the robot's security systems and anti-virus programs, he was certain these probes would identify malicious software upon download and either avoid it or delete it. Infecting Earth's cybersecurity network with the virus waiting for download was most likely infeasible. A download from Brainiac's main computer, which controlled the probes would be a better tactic.

Regardless, it was a project that could be worked on simultaneously as others. Looking to yet another computer monitor, J'onn paused its current activity, inputting a command for a list of results. On the screen were digital images, one of which was a Brainiac probe and the other a weapon designed with the sole purpose to defeat said probe. The animation halted as the probe was being flung backwards, though there were no visible signs of damage.

A new window appeared, a series of letters and numbers appearing. As J'onn had been experimenting with the probe, he had the Fortress' computers running simulations with various weapons, tactics, and other means of disabling or destroying the probes. With the known perimeters of the robot's design and construction, multiple ideas had been entered and tested.

Predictably, most Earth weapons were useless. Gunpowder-based weapons like guns were ineffective, the same with grenades. Missiles were slightly more effective, but it required a significant barrage as the probe had the ability to shoot down the missiles before they reached it.

A nuclear bomb did have the explosive capacity to destroy the probe, something J'onn expected, but the fallout was too much of a price. The virus he suspected was their best option played out like he expected, rendering the robot deactivated in every scenario.

Next was an electromagnetic pulse, which also had a good success rate. If he could design a weapon that could direct the EMP, then he could minimize the damage to the surrounding area when the used it against the probes. A laser with a high enough heat output was able to cut through the exterior as well. Perhaps that could be used in aerial combat to minimize damage to infrastructure on the ground.

Though J'onn wasn't fond of the destructive nature of the weapons, there was a least a say in minimizing the damage they could cause. While he was unsure if the Fortress of Solitude had a manufacturing facility here, bringing his countermeasures to the League could help facilitate their construction. Other countermeasures could be brainstormed as well, things he had not considered himself.

Looking away from the monitor, he returned his attention to the probe. Staring at it, he then walked over to it, coming to stand at its leg. Reaching with one hand, he wrapped his hand around the appendage and began squeezing. Every passing second he increased his strength until he began to feel the metal give and bend beneath his palm.

Letting go, he saw a slight indentation in the leg. That had taken quite a bit of strength—not all of his strength, but a considerable amount. It was then possible that someone like Superman, Wonder Woman, or himself, with superstrength to physically break them. They just had to hit them without holding back.

He did not foresee that being an issue since these probes were not living creatures.

With that done, he then turned his attention to the software. It was time to further examine its security system and detect other weaknesses, not to mention checking if a virus of his design would work.

* * *

There was something different about this city. It wasn't as dark as Gotham nor as brilliant as Metropolis. It wasn't as blue-collar as Central City nor upscale as Gateway. It was...dare he say, youthful? Promising?

Batman wasn't sure if he liked it.

Oh, there was crime to be sure, just like any other city. Already he had put down a couple robbery attempts with no one being the wiser—a shuriken to the temple knocked the robbers out quickly. However, there was something else about this city that the blue-blood in him disapproved of. Yes, that had to be it. He was from old money and this was a city of new money.

So the sooner he left Jump City, the better.

It had been a long shot, but he had gone to see Oracle to see if there was anything she had found out about the Brainiac attacks. Predictably, she had been in a meltdown as her computer systems had been rapidly and successfully hacked. The poor girl didn't know where to start to fix the damage.

So he had stayed to help her get back on her feet—so to speak. Oracle had proven to be a dead end in that regard, but a passing remark had alerted him to another potential source of information. She had used her connection to set up a meeting, which led the vigilante to this burgeoning city.

Hopefully the welcoming committee would be small. The last time he had met with these people had been...less than cordial. He wouldn't put it past any of them to try and throw his own words back at him, not that it would work. He also wouldn't put it past a couple of them to fawn over him, which was irritating to no end.

Perched on top of a building, Batman gazed out to a visible clocktower, one that indicated it was getting close to time. Turning his attention to the rest of the city, he listened as the sounds of traffic filled the evening air.

They were here.

He felt their presence immediately. There were...two sets of footsteps behind him. That was a small mercy gratefully accepted. At least, there were only two that were willing to make their presence known. Quickly, he began to study the surrounding buildings. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility the others were positioning themselves around this designated place.

The footsteps came to an end. Straightening out his posture, he then turned around to regard Red Robin and Starfire. The younger male seemed more relaxed than the last time he saw him—no small part of that was his warnings to leave Gotham under threat of harm. As for the Tamaranean, she was just as vapid-looking as ever.

"Red Robin, Starfire," he greeted them.

"Greetings, respectable Batman," Starfire immediately returned, performing what appeared to be a curtsey in spite of the purple skin tight material she wore. "I was most surprised and joyous to learn you wished a meeting between us."

"Uhh, what she said," Red Robin added awkwardly. "Umm, Oracle said you had something you wanted to speak to Starfire about and that it was, uhh, important."

Batman nodded. "You have heard of the worldwide cyberattacks, correct?"

"Are you talking about those robot things? Cyborg and Beast Boy were going nuts about one of them," the former Gotham native replied.

"The same. We have discovered they are alien in origin, which is why I wanted to speak to Starfire." He then turned his attention to the Tamaranian. "What do you know of Brainiac?"

Immediately, the redhead stiffened. "Where did you hear of this word?" she demanded.

That was an interesting reaction. "That was a name the Justice League managed to get from one of those robots."

The Tamaranian began to speak in an indecipherable language, most likely her native tongue. Batman got the impression those were not good words. "I apologize for my poor vocabulary and breach of communication etiquette," she spoke after a while, clearly flustered, but retaining her odd way of speaking. "It is just...that word...it is very much a word of curse among many peoples."

"Care to explain?" he prodded.

Starfire seemed quiet for a moment. "I am unaware of the exact origins of that word, but I do remember my Gordanian captors speaking of it with much apprehension. There was one story I heard only one time. Again, I am uncertain to the specific details, but the Citadel was in a conflict with another planet, which I believe they intended on conquering. I also understood that the planet was in possession of the Kalanorian Empire, so it may have been a new conflict between them. Then during their most exhausting campaign, one of the local civilizations they were attacking was destroyed. I do not know how and I always assumed it was some sort of Psion weapon, but my captors were certain they were not the cause for the devastation. Reinforcements were sent to the planet from the Citadel homeworld to investigate and swiftly crush any prolonged resistance from the local populous.

"That is when they spoke of a ship of mystery. It ignored all communications with the Citadel and they launched an offensive against it. They said the ship was impervious to their attacks. Then it with purpose destroyed the planet they were in hostilities over. The explosion annihilated the entire Citadel force."

"Whoa," Red Robin gasped. "Would it be safe to say the Kalanorians didn't have any luck against this Brainiac thing too?"

Starfire considered that question. "I would assume that is to be so. The Kalanorians have not been as powerful as they were under the rule of Despero. I believe the Gordanians had reason to believe their leader was on that planet and wished to procure him."

Procure? The Gordanians wanted Despero? "Why would the Gordanians want Despero?" Batman couldn't help but ask.

"Because he is Despero," Starfire answered as if that explained everything. Upon seeing his blank stare, she...returned his look with her own blank stare.

"I think you're going to have to explain that one," Red Robin said quietly after awhile.

"Do you not know who Despero was?" Starfire asked as she looked at her shorter comrade.

"He was an alien conqueror that tried to take over Earth," Batman replied. "That's all anyone knows here."

Starfire returned her attention to him, though her green eyes were wide with child-like wonder. "Would you like me to regale you with the menace that was Despero?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

The Tamaranian straightened out her posture. "Despero was more than a conqueror as you put it; he was a natural force of destruction and despair. The universe shook with terror and was in great peril until this planet mysteriously deposed him. None know what secret weapon, or creature was able to do so, but all planets tread carefully in this quadrant of space."

Batman couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. Other alien races avoided Earth? That was rather surprising. Well, at least until Brainiac in any case. "Do you know what happened to Despero after his defeat here?"

The redhead shook her head. "No one knows except for the Kalanorians. It is said they are keeping him in hiding. The Citadel is most keen on finding him, wherever he may be."

It didn't take much imagination to know why this Citadel—whatever that was—wanted Despero. If his place in the hierarchy of space was to be believed, he was a prize, something that could be used to firmly crush what remained of the Kalanorian people, or used to control them. They, of course, would want to prevent that. In any case, it kept those hostile forced away from Earth and he was content with that.

However, that Brainiac could take on not one, but two of those powerful forces at once, and then wipe them out by destroying the very planet they fought on, then Brainiac was not one to underestimate. Earth needed a way to defend itself and it did not have much time to prepare. At the very least, he had a sense of how this Brainiac worked. It went in, obtained whatever it was it wanted, and then destroyed the evidence. Destroying a city seemed odd, but that was part of a pattern that was emerging.

It seemed it was time to return to the Fortress of Solitude.

* * *

Superman had returned to his Fortress, Pa's words still in his head. The old farmer had told him to do whatever he had to do and to do it because it was right. It was his decision what he chose to do, and one of the people he cared about the most had admitted that this area was one in which they would do little to stop him.

As the Kryptonian wandered down the halls, taking a look through the zoo portion, and completing the chore of feeding the extraterrestrials, he thought long and hard about what he wanted to do and compared it to what he should do.

What he wanted to do was prevent this next disaster, before it could reach his home and threaten everything he cared about. Right here was a rare opportunity of knowing about it ahead of time, and with the right actions taken, he could stop it from becoming fulfilled. On the other hand, what if he went in the wrong direction and that threat arrived and met its deadly promise? Sure, that was something that could be rectified by getting the Fortress' computer to reverse the probe transmission, but space travel was fraught with an incredible amount of complexity that humanity was only just starting to make calculations for.

Again, the Fortress' computer could more than compensate; his upbringing was influencing his thought process a lot more than he ever realized. The answers to most of his problems, or whatever he could bring up as a possible reason to stay here and wait were being put down one by one by logical reasoning. Had he grown up on Krypton, would he had a different way of looking at problems and coming up with solutions?

The longer he debated his course of actions, the more obvious it would become. There was no reason to not go out there and find Brainiac.

The Fortress had a hanger of sorts, one to store his own spacefaring ship whenever he needed to go off world to help with a problem. Sometimes that problem would mean saving the Earth from an interstellar threat, like a meteor or an asteroid. If he recalled correctly, he was currently the United States' first line of defense when it came to protecting the planet from flying rocks in space, some the size of Nebraska. Other occasions to use the ship were to help with S.T.A.R. Labs and any research they were doing that required a more hands on approach.

Sometimes the ship was used to chase after an alien threat that had withdrew after taking enough damage, sometimes to lure said threat away, and sometimes—and Flash could never know about this—it was used to, ahem, take a joyride out into the universe. It was to clear his head when even the solitude of the arctic was unable to help and for nothing else.

This time...this time would be different. It didn't take a lot of effort to have the Fortress' computer do what he needed, reverse-engineering what he needed to prepare the space vessel for its latest mission. It was poetic, in a way, as this very ship was the same one that his father, Jor-El had placed him in decades ago, and that Pa kept in the barn covered under a tarp. Now it would come full circle to find the thing that had set everything into motion and hopefully put an end to this chapter.

Even though J'onn was in the Fortress, he was too busy and polite to check the Kryptonian's thoughts, and this was taken advantage of though Superman did not like the feeling it gave him. It was as if he was deceiving the others in a way, going ahead with a plan a good number of the League and shot down. It couldn't and wouldn't wait, not any longer.

He had to hand it to Kryptonian technology; after having to use what humanity was able to deliver on a consumer basis, something as advanced as this was practically a godsend. Something that would have taken days or weeks, months, and even years to accomplish were finished within a few hours. Night in the arctic was over by the time all preparations for the ship were complete.

That left taking care of other matters, Earth-related all of them. The first was calling into the Planet to use some sick leave and vacation time if his reported illness hadn't gone away by the time his sick days were up. Perry wasn't happy about that, but that was life and he better be able to make it up to the editor when he got back. Word from the man would reach Lois and Jimmy, and anyone else that were looking for him.

One issue that was a bit frustrating was Metropolis; who would look over it while he was away? He could ask one of the other Leaguers, but that would give away what he was planning to do. They may try to stop him or worse, insist on coming with him.

Not this time. This was something he needed to face himself. There was no need to drag anyone else with him. Hopefully, and predictably, the rest of the League would figure it out and do something about keeping an eye on his city. There were still threats to it, both from outside of it and inside. Every day he wasn't there would give people like Luthor time to come up with some new scheme and he wouldn't be there to stop any of it.

There was no time, though. Metropolis would have to continue standing like it had long before he came onto the scene. The Kryptonian would have to trust in his fellow man to make sure nothing would happen to it, much as he wanted to stay and keep protecting the city that was near and dear to his heart, a third home if you would.

In a way, he would be protecting it. By protecting Earth, he would be protecting Metropolis, and to do that he would need to find and stop Brainiac.

Sighing, Superman glanced around at the small hanger, taking in the sight of it as well as searching for anyone that might be nearby. Seeing no one, he spoke aloud, "Prepare shuttle for launch."

* * *

Author's note: To sum it all up, would-be alien conquerors and despots are a superstitious and cowardly lot.


	14. Collector of Worlds

Collector of Worlds

An alert had been put out, all League members were to gather at the Fortress of Solitude. By the time Diana had arrived, most of the League, minus Green Lantern had arrived. The Amazon could pick up on strong emotions coming from Hawkgirl, the Thanagarian looking all the more fierce with her helm. Flash appeared not to be informed of what matters were, though he was keeping his distance from their winged comrade. J'onn appeared as unreadable as always, but there was enough off about him that even she could see something was on his mind.

Batman, she noted, was nowhere to be found. It was a little disappointing, but League matters had to come first.

"Has something happened?" Wonder Woman inquired, making herself known.

"The son of a bitch just left orbit is what's happening," Hawkgirl scowled.

The temper and heat in the Thanagarian's voice took even this warrior aback. "Which son of a bitch are we talking about?"

"Superman has left Earth, more than likely going ahead with the plan to seek out Brainiac," J'onn addressed her, stepping in before Hawkgirl could become more colorful with her language.

This caused the native of Themyscira to frown. "Had we not agreed to wait until Green Lantern returned before holding another vote?"

"Yeah, I mean, isn't it a bad thing to go looking for the bad guy here by yourself without any backup?" Flash asked.

"Apparently that wasn't about to stop the Man of Steel from trying to goddamn martyr himself," Hawkgirl growled, pacing angrily. "He didn't even tell anyone what he was up to. Just walked in and took off."

There was something there, something else that Hawkgirl wasn't saying. Call it intuition, but Wonder Woman felt that there was something the other warrior was not saying, instead covering it up with bluster to hide it. It would be something to look into later. Right now, they needed to decide what they were going to do about this.

"Is there any way we can contact Superman? Try and reason with him?" she asked, focusing all of her attention on J'onn. Of all of them, the Martian was more capable of keeping a cool head, a trait that the Amazon had been lectured about needing when she was but a girl.

"I have been trying to hail him, but so far all of my attempts have been ignored," the green skinned man answered without hesitation. "This has included both contact with the ship he is using and my telepathy. Soon he will be beyond even my range and the computer besides."

"So even if we wanted to, we wouldn't be able to reach Big Blue?" Flash nearly exclaimed, his head snapping about, looking at the rest of the League.

"What is he thinking?" Hawkgirl growled, not looking anyone in the eye.

"He's acting on his emotions."

She didn't jump, but she understood the tendency to. Finally emerging, Batman was taking center stage. When he had arrived, she couldn't say, but there was something calming about his presence.

"He's recently learned that a world, the one from which he was supposed to have lived in was destroyed deliberately and by a force foreign to it. Now that same threat is targeting his new home. He wants to protect it at all costs and does not want to involve the rest of us in what he considers 'his' fight. He chose a time when we were all spread out that by the time he learned what he had done, it would be too late," the dark vigilante continued, walking closer to them with each word. "Now, we can continue to talk circles around this and accomplish nothing, or we can do something like making sure we're ready should Superman fail and Brainiac comes to Earth."

"Whoa, hold on a sec. You think there's a chance Big Blue could lose?" Flash looked as if the thought had never crossed his mind.

"This isn't Despero who wanted to conquer us, killing only as many as it took to achieve victory," Batman retorted. "We're dealing with an enemy that we know is willing to destroy the very planet under our feet. The evidence we have so far does not point to conquest as a motivation for coming here. We don't know anything about Brainiac, other than what it has done on Krypton, and already it has deviated from that scheme." Now the vigilante was directly in the speedster's face, forcing the red-clad man to look only at him and him alone. "So what do you want to do, Flash? Continue whining about how Superman has rushed off into danger, or do you want to act as a member of the Justice League and do your duty of protecting the planet?"

Flash swallowed audibly. "I would like to protect the planet, Batman, sir."

Like a knife, the blank white lens on Batman's mask cut through the air until they reached her. Wonder Woman kept her footing, facing the look down like it was a worthy adversary. For some reason, it felt like it.

"What did you find out from A.R.G.U.S.?" It was a commanding tone, one that reminded the Amazon of Antiope, the mighty warrior and general who had seen to her combat training personally.

"If they're not too busy trying to play bureaucrat," Hawkgirl muttered.

Standing straighter, Diana reported "I was able to speak with Steve. He was much more forthcoming this time, and was more than willing to speak with me. A.R.G.U.S. has been unable to decipher the probe's code and was willing to give me a flashdrive, claiming it had that information on it."

"Most likely, it will possess the same code that ourselves are working on," J'onn surmised.

Wonder Woman nodded in agreement. "Steve gave no indication that A.R.G.U.S. knows about the probe we possess, and I did not inform him of it. However, there was one thing he mentioned that was concerning. Of the probes A.R.G.U.S. was able to recover, one has gone missing."

"They lost one?" Hawkgirl stated incredulously.

"Really? How does some super secret government agency lose something like those robots?" Flash wondered.

"They're not secretive. No one paid any attention when it was formed," Batman rebuffed. Then to the Amazon, "Was Trevor able to tell you when the probe went missing?"

"He did not; its loss was discovered after they did a headcount and that occurred after they transported each one to a location that was not mentioned," the dark-haired warrior answered. "Steve, though, was convinced that it was not simply misplaced but that it was stolen."

"Stolen? So are they trying to cover up incompetence?" the Thangarian remarked more than asked, her wings ruffling.

"But how would anyone know when to steal it?" Flash asked, making a good point. "I'm betting these government guys tried to keep this on the down low, you know? That way no one would walk off with in or whatever happened."

"Unless A.R.G.U.S was already compromised and there was an individual capable of moving quickly enough to snatch it during transit, when it would be most vulnerable," Batman pointed out. "All you would need to know is from what city a probe is leaving from, how they are transporting it, and who is involved. Any decent spy would be more than capable of finding that information out, and it would be more than easy to bribe a person who only earns enough to make ends meet."

"It sounds like you have experience with something like this," the Thanagarian said, giving the vigilante a wry look.

Batman didn't bother to confirm or deny that claim.

"It is very much concerning that there is another on Earth who has one of the probes," J'onn cut in. "They do not know what they are dealing with and the potential for disaster increases with every day. They could reactivate or initiate the self-destruct sequence and put many lives at risk."

"So we find it as quickly as possible and make A.R.G.U.S. look dumb while we're at it," Flash finished for the Martian.

For the first time since they were brought together this day, Hawkgirl's lips curved upwards, though the smile was anything but reassuring. "I think I can get behind that."

"I'll look into it. The rest of you continue with defenses," Batman interrupted. "No one can afford to become sidetracked. Wonder Woman, keep meeting with Trevor, see what else we can get out of him as well as what kind of asset A.R.G.U.S, could be. J'onn—"

"If I may interrupt," the Martian spoke up. "I did not have the chance earlier, but I would like to inform you of my progress on the probe. I have been developing various means to incapacitate or deactivate any more probes that may we encounter. I have finished designs and am in the process of having these countermeasures produced."

"So we're not going to be helpless if another batch shows up." Hawkgirl nodded her approval.

"This can include if Superman...is not successful with his mission," J'onn added.

"How long until you can finish?" Batman inquired, his interest captured but his control over his emotions good enough that he was able to hide it better than the others. That Wonder Woman was able to pick up on it seemed a testament to how close they had become before the sudden withdrawal.

"A few days, perhaps. Kryptonian technology may reduce that time, but I am unsure as to how much." They were all still getting used to this new resource and its capabilities, and that would need to change if they were to meet this latest challenge.

"Get started immediately." Making an abrupt turn, the Dark Knight's cape whipping about him as he began to slip off. "We don't know how much time we have, and we're only going to have one chance. Let's not mess this up."

* * *

Oa, fittingly enough, was a planet green in color. It was a sight that John Stewart was used to seeing, and compared to other planets he had been to, this was one that did not bring up feelings of dread or put him on edge.

Periodically, he would have to come here for various reasons. Regular reports on his sector, occasional maintenance on his ring, and sometimes just to decompress with other members of the Green Lantern Corps.

Then there were the times he needed to come to request reinforcements. It wasn't often that he did such a thing. He could count the number of times on one hand and still have a few fingers left over. Sometimes his requests would be granted, others turned down. The Green Lantern ring was a powerful weapon, and if used to its full potential, all you needed was one Lantern to handle a situation.

This time around, he was fishing for information, anything he could about Brainiac. As old as they were, the Guardians had to have heard or know of something. That was his reasoning, and hopefully it wasn't off the mark.

Entering the atmosphere wasn't anything special. Thanks to the power of his ring, he was shielded from any harmful effects, like catching on fire for one. G-forces and atmospheric pressures were others, the power of the ring protecting him until he was through and gliding through the air of Oa, heading down to the surface of the planet.

He had taken pains to angle himself so that he was heading directly towards the planet's capital, the place where he would find the Guardians themselves. In the distance, he could see a large structure, one similar to the green lantern he had hidden in his apartment back on Earth, only much larger in scale and brighter in color.

That there was the Source of the ring's power, of the entire corps' power. Close to it was what appeared to be a city, and that was John's destination. He wasn't the only one heading there, as there were other streaks of green light in the air, other Lanterns, leaving and entering the city in a regular flow of Corps traffic. It took a while to get used to it, especially when most travelling was up in the air.

Entering the city proper, John glided past buildings, various structures below him that took the form of streets, high-rise walkways, and vegetation like trees and plants. The buildings themselves held a futuristic appeal, at least to John's eyes they did. Curves, slants, and protrusions that could only be found in an architect's dreams were everywhere to be seen. Below, all sorts of life, alien naturally, populated this place, many of them in the black and green uniform that was standard of the Corps.

Military life had taught him to ignore such sights and to be on guard no matter where you found yourself, so John was able to push down any awe he may have felt and push through to the task at hand. He sped past many of the sights and countless other souls until he arrived at the complex that served as a headquarters of sorts. It was here that Lanterns gathered, either to be handed a mission or to report back to for debriefing. It also served as a transport station, one that led directly to the place where the Guardians themselves gathered.

Spotting the building, one that somehow blended in with the futuristic architecture yet stood out at the same time, John decreased his altitude until landing in front of his destination. Just in the front, there were other Lanterns mingling about, either catching up, briefing one another, or debating galactic rivalries and who was going to win the next...okay that word had no direct human translation—that was right, there was no word in any human language to translate it to—but it was basically a popular sport in the galaxy. Three dimensional soccer would be the best description with elements of rugby and hockey thrown in for good measure.

Yes, sports rivalries were alive and well in the rest of the galaxy. It was familiar and made the dark-skinned man feel more comfortable in this alien place.

His feet touched down on the pavement, and John was already on the move, heading towards the main entrance. The sooner he did this, the sooner he could return to Earth.

As he was passing a large Lantern, a hand suddenly slapped down on his shoulder and tightly gripped it. Through his mind, the Green Lantern went over dozens, if not hundreds of scenarios, each one involving some kind of evasive maneuver or self-defense.

Then he heard the lighthearted, deep voice. "John! When did you get planetside? Haven't seen you since that bit with the Bellatrix Bombers! How're you doing?"

Immediately, John relaxed and turned enough to face the large Lantern that had greeted him. "Just got here Kilowog. Sorry if I need to be brief, but I need to see the Guardians ASAP about something. I'll catch up later."

Kilowog was a memorable face, what with being pink skinned and a unique jaw that was very wide and flat. Under different circumstances, he could be a very intimidating man, but one look into eyes that seem to express kindness all the time, it didn't take long to recognize this Bolovax Viikian was a gentle soul at heart.

Then again, he was also very good at being a drill instructor, one of the hardest that John had ever been under, and he was a U.S. Marine. Practically every Lantern that gained a ring had to go through Kilowog first before they were ever allowed into field duty.

The training was effective, even if John grew to hate the word "Poozer."

"Oh? Something happening on Earth?" Kilowog was falling into step beside him, taking his hand off the shorter human's shoulder as he did so. "You always like to take care of things yourself, so this has gotta be big."

"That's the problem; I don't know if it is something big," John admitted, taking large strides to match the larger Lantern's, who in turn shortened his. "I'm hoping the Guardians can shed some light on it. You wouldn't happen to know if they're here?"

Depending on what noise the pink-skinned alien made next would determine what happened next. It was a soft chuckle, which meant good news. "They just got together about a degree ago. Guardian stuff, whatever it is this time. Did they call you to show up?"

"No. I was hoping to catch at least one of them."

"Then you're in luck. I haven't heard about anything big happening, so they might let you walk in if what you've got is important enough. It's not as if we're talking about another Corps thinking of getting frisky and trying invade another planet, right?" The large alien gave a shrug of his shoulders.

John nodded his head. "Won't know until I ask. Thanks."

The pair parted ways as the human entered the complex. A large lobby, one full of mingling Lanterns laid on the other side of the entrance, and John slipped his way through them, giving nods of greeting to the ones he knew or who greeted him first. There was an air of levity about the place, a sign that so far there was nothing happening or that what the Guardians were meeting about wasn't a threat on a galactic level. That was good; it made the chances of getting an audience with them all the more likely.

Entering a hallway, he made his way deeper and deeper until he reached the first of many intersections. Straight on he continued, passing by other intersecting hallways until taking a right at the first T-intersection. The first left also warranted a turn, followed by one more right until he reached a small teleportation platform.

This would be the moment of truth; the Guardians liked to meet in privacy, far from the ears of the other Lanterns. However, unless you entered the planet at the right angle, this was one of the faster ways to reach them. He didn't go to Oa often, so he hadn't yet memorized the exact location where the Guardians currently were, though the general area was known.

This pad was the fastest way for the dark-skinned man, and whether it was activated or not would prove if he could get an audience.

A flash of light was his answer, and finding himself in a new location raised his hopes up. John was outside again, only nowhere close to any city. The altitude was much greater, and the sky was clear with nothing but stars over head. Even the light from the sun couldn't block this out. Perhaps it was a sign of the Guardians' true power that they themselves could stop or redirect light itself with nothing but their will.

Regardless, he was in, and up ahead was a set of stairs. These stairs led up to a platform, one that had smaller, higher platforms circling it, each one with a short, blue skinned lifeform, each with varying degrees of white hair sprouting from their heads. Each one wore robes, red and white in color with the former streaking down on the sides while the latter faced boldly up front. The symbol of the Corps were embedded right on the white, situated over the chests.

None of them had directed any of their attention John's way, which was normal. They wouldn't acknowledge him unless he brought recognition his way. To do that started with walking up those stairs, taking each step one at a time until he reach the wide, circular platform up top. If there was any discussion that was happening, it ended soon enough, the sounds of John's footsteps the only thing breaking the silence.

"Ah, John Stewart of Earth, it is a pleasant surprise to see you," one of the Guardians greeted, one whose white hair was in a state of thinning yet still covered much of his head. That was Ganthet, one of the Guardians who held an interest in Earth if only out of curiosity's sake.

"What tidings do you bring?" another Guardian spoke, this one with hair the curved on either side of his head, giving the impression of small wings. That was Appa Ali Apsa, one of the Guardians with one of the longer names. He had heard a joke once that his name was longer than his height, and it was one that was kept as far from the Guardian in question. If John recalled correctly, Appa knew of the joke; he just didn't care.

Squaring his shoulders, the Green Lantern stood tall and professionally before the group, these individuals some of the most powerful in the universe. "There was an incursion on Earth about a week ago, Earth time. They consisted of multiple robots and each attacked the planet's cyber infrastructure. When confronted, these robots became hostile; a scan from my ring said they were made from Promethium. These things were some of the most advanced technology I have ever seen, and that's comparing it to what we have here on Oa."

The Guardians shared a look amongst each other. Not quite the response John was hoping for but then again, how these little blue men operated sometimes left him in the dark.

"Go on, John Stewart. What else can you tell us about these robots?" Ganthet prompted, the Guardian's face soft yet stoic.

"Their fighting capabilities allow them to break constructs easily, and because of the Promethium, they can take a hit," the dark-skinned human continued. The first part of that statement caught some of the Guardians by surprise, their eyebrows rising. A construct formed by the ring was indestructible, so long as it remained powered by will. "It took the full might of the Justice League to quell them, and even then, some self-destructed before we could reach them. We were able to retrieve one of the robots and have it analyzed. We learned that it had some history with Krypton."

"Krypton?" That was Quaros, one who still had a head full of hair, though it was long and stringy in appearance. "How is it possible that a relic from Krypton makes its existence known now?"

"Let the Lantern continue," another Guardian cut in, this one entirely bald. It took John a second to recall this one was named Sayd.

"Because it was so advanced, we fell back to a computer of Kryptonian make. I've reported that Superman is Kryptonian before. The computer recognized the robot's programming and a file appeared, one made by Superman's father, Jor-El," he continued. "According to this file, there was this artificial intelligence that Krypton used, one that Jor-El claimed deliberately destabilized the planet's core before escaping. It called itself Brainiac."

John found himself stopping, mainly because he felt a change amongst the Guardians. Now they were all sharing looks, but they were rapid, and they were speaking, muttering more like but he was able to pick out the name Brainiac several times. Did this mean they knew the name?

Narrowing his eyes, John said coolly, "You know this name?"

By the act of talking, the Guardians stopped, the looks they were sharing slowing down until all of their attention was back on him.

"You are sure that the name you heard was Brainiac?" Ganthet asked, his tone cautious.

"That's the one," the human Lantern confirmed, nodding his head in the affirmative.

As one the Guardians turned their heads to one specific Guardian, one with who stood out due to a gold plate that covered half his head, red, circular protrusions decorating it, while the other half was white hair that was pulled back into a pony tail. In contrast to most of the Guardians, this one had facial hair growing from his chin, hair that was braided and held with gold rings. Starling enough, where all the other Guardians had eyes of green color with white sclera, this one only had one eye like that while the other had a black sclera.

There was no mistaking who this was. He was Rami, the Guardian responsible for forging the ring that all Green Lanterns wore. He was also the eldest, though he was not the leader. You couldn't say who was the leader of this group of blue aliens, especially when they all were equal in their positions.

Rami seemed to know what was being asked of him, and his wrinkle of a mouth curved wryly. "It seems that you have come across an infamous criminal, John Stewart, one that we the Guardians have been pursuing for nearly...how long has it been?"

"Approximately...five hundred Earth years," Ganthet spoke up, doing a quick translation for the human.

That didn't stop John from widening his eyes. Five hundred years? And the Guardians hadn't been able to apprehend this thing?

"What is Brainiac?" he demanded, tired of waiting for an answer. He had come all this way for one, and he refused to wait any longer.

"Whom is the question you should be asking," Rami corrected, though he bore no ill will towards the dark-skinned man's interruption. "We know him as the Collector of Worlds. The one known as Brainiac is a Coluan, native of the planet Colu, a race that evolved from plants, peculiarly. We know little else of Brainiac's origin, due to how secretive and...independent minded Coluans are. They have refused any assistance from the Corps, up to and including allowing us to assign a Lantern to patrol their sector of space.

"What we do know, is that Brainiac once bore the name Vril Dox, and was a highly respected and intelligent scientist. Perhaps the greatest intellectual Colu has ever had. To this day, we do not know the details, but Dox committed an act, one so heinous that he was stripped of all titles and prestige, and imprisoned. Dox was able to escape, the Colu was content for leaving him an exile, that is until he returned and attacked the capital city."

Recalling the message from Jor-El, John hardened his gaze. "He destroyed it."

"By all appearances," Ganthet agreed, "except that he didn't. Should you go there now, you will find nothing but a hole in the ground where that city once stood. But he did not destroy it."

"He didn't?" This was completely unexpected. At the same time, it didn't make sense to him. This Vril Dox attacked a city from his home planet, but didn't destroy it? Then what did he do with it?

One Guardian explained, "Coluans are very technologically advanced, even for space-faring races. One of their greatest inventions is that of a device capable of shrinking matter while retaining its form."

A shrink ray. That was what his own mind supplied him with.

"He shrank the city, and stored it away before leaving Colu. Colu was furious, but they were unable to fully pursue him as he had destroyed much of their own spacecraft, or anything capable enough to give chase. Our involvement began with Bryak. Since Bryak was a sector the Corps covered, a Lantern faced with incursion fought against the Collector of Worlds. But he failed and the Bryak were destroyed. When his ring returned that began our pursuit, one that has become increasingly difficult as Brainiac incorporates the technological prowess of those he collects, further refining his. Stealth, forcefields, drones, probes, and even the capture of a Lantern...it has all allowed him to remain ahead and out of reach."

Rami's eyes had closed, his head tilted downward. Many other Guardians shared the same expression. It was one that John recognized, that of unending failure, especially when done in the face of something that no matter how hard you tried, you were never able to ever beat. This had been a war of attrition, one that had taken more of a toll from their side.

"We have not been able to discern any pattern that Brainiac uses to select the planets he attacks," Appa Ali Apsa confessed. "It is one of the reasons we still chase him, even though we always arrive too late. As cycles pass, the rate of planets he attacks increase. He becomes more efficient; sometimes so quick in his strikes that we are unaware of his involvement until much, much later."

"Until now," Ganthet stated, grim but also determined. "For the first time, we know of a planet that Brainiac intends to collect prior to his arrival. This gives us the opportunity to prevent another tragedy before it happens, and for that, we must thank you John Stewart."

This was a lot of information to take hold of, but as a man of action, this Green Lantern zeroed in on what was last said. "So what's the plan?"

"Earth is considered to be under immediate threat," Quaros declared. "Considering the source of the threat, an appropriate response is required, is it not?"

"Indeed," Ganthet agreed.

"And what would be an appropriate response for this?" John interjected. He was feeling a nervous energy running through him, wondering where this was going. He had heard the stories before of how a Lantern would go before the Guardians, requesting help, and be told that they were more than enough by themselves. More often than not, the Guardians were right, though there were some close calls. A part of the human dreaded the answer, another part had...expectations.

"We will call out to the Corps. All available Lanterns are to report to Sector 2814, Planet Earth," Ganthet announced to all in attendance, receiving no objections. "Any who are indisposed will be exempt, but those who are not will answer. This may be our only opportunity to bring an end of the Collector of World's reign of terror. We cannot ignore it for what it is."

* * *

When he had left the Guardians, returning to the hub city that was Oa's capital, there was a noticeable change. For one thing, there were less Lanterns seen milling about. Of those John was able to see, only green slipstreams were what gave them away, these Lanterns heading towards the same destination.

That was the large Lantern structure, the very source of their Rings' power. It was an unofficial gathering place, one for large scale operations that also served to recharge any and all rings before going into action. Flying there, the Earth native was successful at keeping his surprise to himself at the large, no, enormous gathering of Green Lanterns that he had ever seen.

The last time had been quite some time, and it had involved a fight with the Sinestro Corps. This was a sign of how big this was.

There was an opening in the crowd, one circular in nature and most likely the center of attention. As he flew closer, he could pick out a small red blob in a sea of black and green. Had to be one of the Guardians rallying the troops. Inexplicably, John felt a pair of eyes on him, a feeling that he tended to get whenever he was around a Guardian. Whereas most of the Corps didn't know he was there, this Guardian did and the fact he was looking up at him meant that the Lantern was wanted.

So he began his descent, landing next to Ganthet. It seemed appropriate; out of all of the Guardians, Ganthet was the one who held a curious interest in Earth. By all accounts, it was just that, curiosity, like one would have with some unusual or new object or a show on television.

"John Stewart," the Guardian greeted. "We have a good gathering. Others will join you as you journey back to your sector. Take the time to charge your ring and remember, do not hold back. The battle you go to has been in the making for a long time, and the fate of your home rests in the balance. Good luck."

Yes, boilerplate speech aside, John knew with certainty what this meant. Based on what he had learned recently, the fate of Earth did hang in the balance. It was too bad that he was too far, otherwise he'd try and contact the League to let them know what they were up against. Even if he used his ring to boost the signal from his communicator, Oa was still too far away to guarantee contact.

There were some things even will had problems with.

Turning away from Ganthet, he gazed over at the crowd of Lanterns. He spotted many familiar faces, from Kilowog, to Tomar-Re, Galius Zed to Laira, and even a rare appearance from Katma Tui. At least he had some trusted comrades here, not that the rest of the Corps were untrustworthy. They were, but even in an organization like this, people tended to form their own social networks.

"Anytime you're ready," Ganthet stated, giving him an unspoken prompt.

Yeah, there was one last thing to do before kicking off this operation. It wasn't necessary, but it was tradition. Like a hoo-rah in the army, it was a morale boost, and it wouldn't feel right to launch this force of Lanterns without it. There was a reason why the Lanterns were now looking to him, some with balled up fists that featured their green rings prominently.

You could practically feel it in the air, an anticipation. It was one that longed to broken, and only he was allowed to do it.

So he did.

Closing his eyes, he called up the words he knew by heart, then raised his head up high and snapped his eyes open, their green color clear.

"In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night," he called out over the assembly of Lanterns, raising up his right arm where his ring was worn, holding it high above his head, "No evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power—"

Then as one, the rest of the assembled Corp roared, raising their rings up into the air much like the Earthling.

"GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!"

Green auras flared, and en masse the Corps rose into the air, rocketing up into the atmosphere and into Outer Space itself, their destination being a small planet in Sector 2814. The small details would be disseminated throughout the long journey, but all knew there was a colossal threat on its way to hurt people, and that was more than enough for them to intervene.

John hadn't expected all this when he had come to Oa, but right now he felt more than confident that Earth was in safe hands. Let Brainiac come; he was going to face off with the full strength of the Justice League and the Green Lantern Corps.

* * *

It had been days since he had left Earth. Thanks to the design of the small spacecraft, problems such as nutrition and isolation were negated thanks to the stasis mechanism that was part of the ship's design. It had been what was used to protect him when his father had first launched the ship away from Krypton decades ago.

Now the last son of a dead world was using it to help in finding the one responsible for that world's destruction. There was something poetic about that. Thanks to stasis, his body was preserved, almost slowed down to the point where he did not need to be active enough to consume anything or eliminate. Most of his time was spent in long bouts of sleep while the various files he had downloaded into the ship from the Fortress' computer, all files related to Brainiac in one way or another, played subliminally. There was a focus on the one file that his father had made, warning him to run.

While it hadn't been Jor-El's intention, Kal-El had chosen to run to the danger, to face it once and for all and stop it from hurting anymore people.

Space was a very large place, though, even if he had a general area along with a program that continued to hone in on wherever Brainiac was hiding, and arriving at his final destination was going to take time. The Kryptonian had to trust in the ship and his own preparation to see him through this leg of his journey.

He had been in space long enough to know how long travel took in it, and the sight of endless stars, which had once captivated him, had become more and more mundane with each trip he took. At times it became backdrop, something that was completely overlooked or ignored, but that was usually because there was a fight.

There wasn't a fight now, so that meant sitting and resting and listening and relistening to the audio files he had stored on the mainframe. Endless loops of how integral Brainiac had become to Krypton, meetings on various proposed upgrades to the AI, meetings and conventions that were pretty much nothing but praise for it, and all were interrupted by Jor-El's final message of deceit and betrayal. There was only one other file that appeared, one that had had the AI in attendance and involved the mysterious attack of an unidentified flying object, one that had attacked Kandor and vaporized it.

It was one of the few files in which the AI had any participation, and the Kryptonian wanted to know the voice of his enemy. If all went well, he would be finding the program soon, though how long that was was anyone's guess.

On day five of his travels, he had pulled out a small mirror and used it to fire his heat vision into it, sending the beam back at his face, and in particular his facial hair. It was a favorite way of his to shave, and it saved a lot when it came to razor blades. There was a need to be clean-shaven for this, though. Maybe that was a result of being raised by Pa and Ma, to always look your best for any and all occasions. The Kents had left their mark on him, much like Brainiac had decades ago.

On day six, that was when the ship alerted him.

Ending stasis, Superman peered through the transparent shield that served as a window, looking out into space. Initially, he saw nothing, just stars and blackness as far as the Kryptonian eye could see. Then he looked down at the controls and hit a few buttons. A holographic imaged appeared on the windshield—for a lack of a better word—answering the inquiry he had put in.

According to the ship, they were close to the destination of the Brainiac probe's transmission. Whatever had received it was close by, as relative as that was. Quickly, the dark-haired Kryptonian inputted a command to do a scan, one searching for any object that might be nearby or at least in traveling distance. There was no sense in accidentally heading to another star system just by putting in the wrong command.

Despite the earlier alert, the scan came back negative, not finding anything. What was this? Why alert him that Brainiac was close by and then say there was nothing around? Was there something wrong with the ship? A bug? A glitch? Had he come all the way out here for nothing?

Inputting another scan, Superman tried to use his eyes to see if he could find anything. His heart was starting to speed up a bit, anticipation and anxiety warring for dominance. He tried different visions, from x-ray to heat, but still found nothing. The scan came back, again negative, and the Man of Steel slumped back into his seat.

He didn't understand this. It made no sense whatsoever. With the exception of Hawkgirl and Green Lantern, he had one of the most extensive experiences in space; he knew how to navigate it. None of this was making sense.

Then the ship shuddered, an alert blaring out that something was attacking. Muscles tensed up, the Kryptonian bracing himself for an impact that did not follow up the initial shudder. All the while, the ship's computer continued to scream of danger.

But where? Where was it coming from? What—

And suddenly the holographic screen cut out, leaving only the sight of space in its place. Immediately, Superman went to work, trying to bring the display back up but finding that none of the buttons he pressed or the switches he flicked had any effect. It was as if everything was shutting down.

There was another shudder, only this time the stars outside began to move in a way that was not normal for forward propulsion. It was as if he was being pulled to a side and lowered.

Then rising from below, the hull of something big came into view. As more and more of it came into sight, Superman pulled back into his seat, taking in the sight of what looked like a skull only in metal form. The very color of it allowed this ship to blend in with its black surroundings, and suddenly the limitation of only being allowed to see straight ahead occurred to the Kryptonian.

That, and the reminder that in space it was all three-dimensions; up and down were viable directions. It was like that one space movie he had only caught the last half of once.

As his ship continued to be lowered, another feature of the skull ship was discovered. Long, metal tentacles seemed to stretch out from underneath it, one of which extended out and under—it was one of those things that was latching on to his ship.

This was less of an attack and more of a capture.

Superman could have attempted to fight this. Instead, he relaxed in his seat. If this was where the probe's transmission had gone, then he had indeed arrived.

He had found where Brainiac was hiding.

Far be it from him to reject the offer of being invited in.

* * *

FlackAttack: Recall, at this point in time, Cyborg isn't a member of the Regime, especially since the Regime has yet to exist yet. Plus, as far as anyone knows, the technology making up Cyborg's body is Earth-based, and when trying to find information about something from space, you go to someone who knows a thing or two about it. For Batman, it's an alien that seems to have gone under the Justice League's radar. No matter what, Batman's need for secrecy is nearly all-consuming.

To answer your question about the Titans, Starfire seems to see Batman as an Important Figure in the life of a comrade of hers, thus he is to be given respect until proven otherwise. Cassie is one of those people who like to buck off authority or any kind, but after _The Eleventh Hour_, he's the one guy you don't piss off and keep your head down when he's around. Needless to say, he left an impression. Lastly, Raven doesn't care. She has more important concerns, and Batman is not one of them.


	15. Audience

Audience

He was in.

It was easier than the Kryptonian would have thought, but that meant there was no need to tire himself with a fight. At least, not one right away.

As soon as his ship entered the larger one, it was intercepted by a group of skeletal robots, each one with a head that resembled the skull ship minus the tentacles. With ease, they hefted his ship up and carried it down a long, circular hallway. An odd mist trailed around the floor and curved walls, and the dim lighting made this place appear eerie.

Superman remained in his seat, doing nothing as he waited for these robots to take him where they were going to. There was a plan here and it would be best to wait for the last moment before showing them what they were dealing with. At the same time, he would get a lay of the ship and an idea of how to navigate it.

There were a few turns before eventually his small ship arrived in a much larger room. Through the windshield, he could see what looked like other ships, some approximately the size of his, others much larger, and a few small ones where he highly doubted anything was small enough to pilot it.

The robots came up to an empty spot and placed his ship down in it. The Kryptonian's body began to tense up, readying itself for action. A hand went to a small panel located in the armrest of his seat, a finger resting itself on the display but not yet exerting pressure. The dark-haired man could count his heartbeats as he waited, watching as the robots pull out of sight.

He could hear several thunks against the ship's hold, and that was his cue. Pressing down with his finger, Superman started the process of opening up the ship. There was a hiss as the cabin depressurized, and then everything above and in front of him began to rise.

Immediately, the smell of sterilization flooded in, causing the Man of Steel to wrinkle his nose at how strong it was. Getting over it quickly, he pushed himself out of his seat and launched himself out into this new environment.

His ship was still surrounded by the robots, ones that he could now see were black in color. The lens of the machines' eyes lit up with a pink color, contrasting with the metal that made up their skeletal frames. Multiple arms raised up, and from individual palms, multiple thin wires fired out.

Bracing himself, Superman readied himself to be restrained only to have the ends of the wire strike his body, as if trying to pierce into it. Unsurprisingly, that didn't happen as his incredible durability protected him. Racing forth, he didn't hold back as threw a punch at the nearest robot, recalling how durable the probe he had fought on Earth had been.

Unlike the probe, the robot he struck did not seem to be made of the same material; his fist tore into it much like the small army of drones he had once faced coming out of LexCorp years ago. Whereas that army had numbers on their side, these didn't. Tearing his arm out of the damaged robot, he flung it away while lunging at the next one.

This robot swung its arm at him, swiping with sharp-tipped fingers that looked like claws. Snatching the hand, a tightening of his hand had the Kryptonian crushing it, and throwing a punch of his own that tore the robotic head off.

With an increase of speed, Superman was on the next two. Thanks to standing too close to one another, the Man of Steel was able to grab the pairs' heads and slam them together. Metal heads stood no chance against one another, circuitry flinging everywhere with crackles of electricity flaring out of the damage.

Various cables swarmed around him, attempting to restrain him. They extended from the walls, wrapping around his limbs before working their way to his torso. If they succeeded, it would leave him vulnerable to the two remaining robots who were watching, waiting for their turns.

Sorry, but he had already gone through this once before and didn't like it the last time.

Concentrating, Superman's eyes flared red as he forced his heat vision to its greatest intensity. Firing the beams of heat, they sliced through the cables much like a hot knife through butter. The severed cables thrashed about, almost like they were in pain, but the dark-haired man knew better. With electricity flaring from the severed ends, they were a potentially dangerous hazard, but one dealt with with a simple intake of air that was followed up with a release of Arctic-temperature breath.

From there, he was zooming towards the last two robots. Immediately, one put up a force field, pink in color and transparent enough to see the non-living creature on the other side. Superman veered off course, attacking the other robot and crushing its head between his hands before readjusting and finding himself before the force field-wielding one.

His first punch hit the field, revealing that it formed a dome around it. His second punch came much harder but had the same amount of effect as the first. Taking a page from Flash, Superman began throwing as many punches as he could into the shield, and thanks to being one of the faster heroes from Earth, he could see that the force field was struggling to keep up with all the hits, especially when he began to move around, hitting different places each and every time.

The field broke, and the robot that was protected by it stood no chance as half a dozen punches tore into it before the Kryptonian was able to stop himself. By the time he did, the bipedal machine was a pile of scraps on the floor.

Taking slightly heavier breathes, Superman allowed himself to calm down, even though he kept his guard up. Who knew what else was in this place? He needed to keep a cool head; especially before finding the heart of this ship. By his own logic, and that of Earth's, the center of this ship was where he would find either answers or a means to shut this place down.

Now to begin.

His feet lifted off the floor and the Man of Steel began to take flight, though moving at a slower speed than normal. As he took in his new surroundings, he paid closer attention to what he what he figured was some kind of docking bay. It was odd how it wasn't located where his ship had been, well, docked, but there were so many ships in here. All were different shapes and sizes, some too big for one person or too small for anything, and the designs were practically alien, especially in this place.

Then one caught his eye. Slowing down until he came to a full stop, Superman took a hard look as a vessel that was slight smaller than the ship he had flown in, but was clearly Kryptonian in nature. He would recognize such a thing anywhere, especially after interacting with so much Kryptonian technology in the Fortress. Unbiddingly, Jor-El's words echoed in his head.

_The AI was in the middle of downloading itself into a spacecraft of its own making…_

Was it coincidence that this was the same ship his father had mentioned, one that had been built over thirty years ago? If it was only programming being placed into it, it gave context to the other ships in this hanger; what need was there for a living person when data was all that was being put into this vessels?

He had to be in the right place.

"_Welcome Kryptonian. I have been searching for you._"

Looking away from the Kryptonian ship, Superman found a large holographic screen had appeared close by, a floating image that held nothing but three circles, two connected to one with two lines that sent spikes rapidly along them. That was another thing the hero from Earth recognized, specifically from the head of that probe he fought in Metropolis. The voice was also identical to the probe's, the same dull tone that held no emotions whatsoever.

"Brainiac," he stated, balling his hands into tight fists.

The spikes began to accelerate as the voice spoke again. "_It has been most convenient for you to arrive; I give but one ultimatum. Surrender yourself to me._" Further down the hallway, he could now hear the clanking of metal on metal, more robots showing up with the same skeletal bodies as the ones he had destroyed. There was one exception, and that was one that looked like the probes with its oblong head and purple coloring. "_I prefer you intact, but your remains are also acceptable should you resist._"

Glowering, the hovering man retorted, "I think you'll be surprised what remains there'll be."

Not waiting for this welcoming committee to reach him, he became a blue and red blur, racing to the mechanical soldiers. The leading probe raised both of its arms up, and the glow of light from its hands gave away its intentions. Twin beams of energy fired, but the Kryptonian was dodging before they burned the air past him.

His fist was flying, but it met with a force field, one that the other robots were bringing up. Recalling his last encounter only minutes before, Superman was spinning around them, throwing as many punches as he could, as hard as he could, trying break through to get his hands into some metal.

Whatever this force field technology was, it was unlike anything he had encountered before. Multiple robots were working together, combining their field together and strengthening the barrier to the point that his previous strategy was not working. The probe, while keeping its arms at the ready, was not attacking, instead watching and studying him, as if searching for its next opportunity to strike.

That wouldn't do, so the racing man did something different. Darting off, he grabbed one of the many ships just sitting around, his hand digging into the hull and warping the metal, then lifted the dormant craft up and swung it like a club. His makeshift weapon impacted the force field, and slightly surprising, did not break through it. The shield held but the ship not so much as its body crumpled under the force that was swinging it around.

That didn't stop Superman from ramming the damaged space vessel into the force field again, but the results from last time persisted. The only difference was that his weapon was looking more and more compromised.

_Okay, time to do something different._

Tossing his useless club aside, Superman streaked towards and over the gathering of robots, racing in the direction that they had arrived. Finding an exit, he darted through it and into the hallway just outside of the hanger. Coming to an abrupt stop, he put himself up against the curved wall just outside of the doorway and waited.

It didn't take long to hear the telltale clacking of metal, and Superman braced himself, readying his fist. This needed to be timed just right; too early and he gave himself away, too late and that force field would be back up.

Eyes sharpening, the Kryptonian utilized his speed to swing back into the doorway, throwing a punch simultaneously that decimated the robot at the fore of the group. The machine was just being carried off its feet while the adopted Earthling was already blasting another with his heat vision. A third had its head torn off before a flash of light alerted him to the probe's attack. Arching his back as much as he could, Superman curved his body enough to evade, and then he was back in the hall, flying away as fast as he could.

The surprise from his ambush should have worn off by then and he wasn't about to get another helping of that energy blast; it hurt to get hit by it and he hadn't found Brainiac yet.

"_You continue to resist. Your actions will not avail you here, Kryptonian,_" the AI warned him, even as he passed by an intersecting hallway. "_There is nowhere you can go that you will not be found._"

Up ahead, the orbs rolled their way in his direction. Frowning, Superman watched as the orbs ended their approach, thin metal protrusions slipping out of small, unseen ports. From here, they now looked like bugs, or at least a very round species of beetle. Rearing back on their legs, they began firing short bursts of energy, filling the hallway in no time with their fire.

Some manage to hit him, and while the energy fire didn't have much of a punch to it, it still stung. Clenching his teeth, Superman sped up, moving with small increments in any and all directions in an attempt to reduce how many hits he was taking.

Reaching these bugbots, he threw a fist and grimaced at how his hand bounced off a force field. At the same time, the small robots stopped shooting at him, each forming a shield and merging with the others. As a result, they blocked off the hallway in front of him. That was just great.

A much stronger blast of energy struck him from behind. Giving a cry, the Kryptonian dropped to the floor, crouching on his knees. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the probe had caught up with him, an arm outstretched in front of it and glowing with another blast of energy ready to be fired. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Knowing that the bugbots behind him were blocking that way, there was only one left for him to go. He became a blur again, heading straight for the probe blocking his way.. The probe fired another energy blast from its hand, but since he saw it coming, the dark-haired man dodged it easily. Thanks to his speed, he was able to reach the menacing machine before it could try and being up a force field of its own.

Taking the opportunity, he struck the probe, winding slight as his body recalled for him that this robot had been built to take such strong hits, the promethium holding up against his strength. Still, that didn't stop the man-like machine from slamming into the wall.

His hearing picked up a charge from behind him, and he realized that bugbots were getting ready to start shooting at him again. Deciding not to do that again, Superman shot towards the nearest intersection and just turned the corner as multiple short bursts of energy were fired after him.

These hallways were all the same, curved and dark and dim and what was with all the mist? Wait, over there, another doorway. Darting into it, the Kryptonian found himself speeding down another room. While only somewhat wider that the hallways, the walls here seemed to protrude outwards. At first, he paid that no mind, but then he noticed how there were small circles, the circles not made of metal but some kind of glass.

Only when he slowed down slightly did he catch enough of a sight that he came to an abrupt halt. Floating to the nearest circle, he found a face exposed by the glass. Thanks to the pinkish tint, it was suspect that what he was looking at was blue skin and green hair, but the wires stabbing into a skull and a tube jammed into a mouth implied that...that…

This was a person. An alien lifeform to be sure, but a person nonetheless. The way the hair shimmered revealed that the individual was surrounded by some kind of liquid, which implied the tube was some kind of breathing apparatus. A part of him could figure out what this was, but his mind was already trying to dissociate from it.

All of it agreed that this was wrong, incredibly wrong.

And then he slowly looked at all the other circles, windows into tanks of a mysterious liquid, and could start making out other faces. Other races. Other species. What were they doing in those tanks and why? Were they even alive? Or was there some other sinister reason, one the Man of Steel had yet to think of?

What was going on in this place? What was Brainiac trying to accomplish, and why did it have to have all these people held here?

Metal arms suddenly wrapped around him. Due to being distracted by the tanks, he had not paid enough attention to realize that the robots had caught up to him. Two more worked to restrain him, tackling him from either side. A fourth was releasing thin cables from its hands with some nasty looking ends on them that Superman knew he wanted no closer to his body.

With a grunt, the Kryptonian exerted his strength, managing to push away one of the clinging robots off him. It also gave him some room to loosen the hold the one behind him had, enough that he could throw an elbow into its side and destabilize it further. Now able to twist his torso, he did just that, swinging his fist to nail the third robot in its head, knocking said head off in the process.

With one hand, he reached up and grabbed at one of the arms wrapped around him. It took some effort, but pulling down hard enough did rip the captured arm off, and now the dark-haired man could put all his strength to use. Rising up into the air as he did so, he slammed a punch into the single-armed robot and sent it flying away, crashing into and bouncing off one of the tanks.

Cables attempted to replace the arms, but he snatched them with a hand and yanked back harshly. The cable-wielding robot was pulled towards him and then broken in two with the following punch, its pieces clattering against the floor. Another spin and he shattered the face of the first robot, the one that he had managed to push away first but had not been able to deal with until this afterthought.

Speaking of which, he could not afford to get lost in his own head. Moving quickly, he sped down the large room, hoping to find another exit. Unfortunately, all he found was a dead end and not wanting to do anything to compromise these tanks—because who knew what would happen to the people stored in them—he reversed course and headed back the way he came.

Just as he was exiting the room he pulled back abruptly as a beam of energy cut right ahead of him. The probe had caught up with him, its arms raised up and glowing, ready to fire off another shot. Moving shadows behind the probe gave away that more reinforcements were on their way.

"_There is no escape from here, Kryptonian,_" Brainiac's monotone stated. "_You face only capture. Your resistance only delays the inevitable._"

Glowering, "I'm not trying to escape Brainiac. I'm here for you, and I'm not going to stop until I find you." He readied himself for a fight, knowing that one was coming his way whether he liked it or not.

The glow from the probe dimmed, and the movement of approaching robots slowed down.

"_You wish a face-to-face encounter?_" the AI inquired.

"That's what I came here for. Why I hunted you down," Superman growled. "And I'm not leaving until I find you."

There was a moment of silence, even the reinforcements had stilled by this point. Something was going on, he was sure of it, but whether he should take advantage of this—

"_Very well. If it is an audience you seek,_" Brainiac said. The probe lowered its arms and took a step to the side, the robots behind it parting to make space. "_You shall be escorted to me. Then we shall determine the future that awaits you._"

Superman kept his arms up, his eyes narrowed. Just like that? It seemed too simple.

"How do I know you won't try to attack me?" he demanded.

"_You are too valuable and interesting to destroy, Kryptonian. It was always the intention to meet you, and it is more efficient to guide you if capture requires more resources. Come to me. This is a meeting that is all but certain, confirmed the moment your DNA was scanned._"

The response was prompt and there was no hesitation whatsoever. He was still suspicious, but the AI had a point. It would take up time and energy to fight everything that could be thrown at him on this ship, and who knew what everything entailed? If Brainiac was willing to meet him, so be it.

Though his guard remained up, his arms lowered and he took the first tentative steps forward, waiting for any deception to be uncovered. Nothing attacked him, and with each step he took, the more sure the Kryptonian became. First he passed the probe whose lifeless eyes watched him but made no movement to attack. Then came the robots that had, by now, lined up against the curved walls.

Soon, it became apparent that they were leading him. The dark-haired man figured this one out due to how some robots would stand in front of intersecting corridors, blocking them, but always stood aside for the one he needed to enter. This was how it went, walking his way towards fate with skeletal robots lining the way.

Eventually, they cut off a corridor, their positions indicating a large door that was currently open. Giving the machines one last look, Superman took the first step through the doorway and found himself entering an enormous room.

This one was perhaps a bit more...strange when compared to the other ones. Whereas the hanger held ships and the second room was tanks full of people, this room had small, round, and oblong...things suspended off the floor by thin cables. If he peered into one, it seemed like he was looking at some kind of model.

A model of what? A model of a city. That was the best way to describe it. The first one he looked at was bizarre in its architecture but he was able to piece together what looked like buildings. They were more triangular than rectangular, and the curves didn't make sense outside of some kind of cosmetic appearance.

The rest tended to alternate. Some looked futuristic, others more flat and primitive. It was clear that despite it all, these were cities. Not for the last time did he wonder why. None of this—wait.

It had been happening a lot lately, and maybe that's why he was so primed for it. One of the odd cases, containers, whatever they were, held something that was so similar to what his mind labeled as Kryptonian. The buildings that stretched high up, choosing vertical sprawl over horizontal, the architecture, everything from the sculpting to the placement of windows and streets, it all looked Kryptonian.

Soon enough, he was standing right next to it, looking down on the miniature from above. For some reason, he was thinking about those ships in a bottle, the kind you built little by little, putting the materials in and making the ship inside of the bottle. If he squinted, he could make out what looked like small...small...damn, whatever they were, they were small. Maybe if he adjusted his vision… There didn't seem to be anything special about these small things except, he could've sworn, there may have been movement.

His peripheral caught sight of a flash of light, and his gaze jerked away from the model. What he found, though, was an image, one that possessed the sight of a Kryptonian city, much like the ones he had seen from files at the Fortress, as well as the model right next to him. Another image appeared, this one of various Kryptonians engaged in their everyday life, with of course sights of the city in the background. Then another image, this one of a landscape Superman could have sworn he had only seen in dreams.

More and more images flashed into existence, and he knew that these pictures could only be one place: Krypton.

Getting tired of asking why, the Man of Steel bellowed, "What is this? Come out and face me Brainiac!"

Abruptly, the images shut off, but that wasn't the only thing. The numerous bottled cities were pulled up, rising higher and higher until vanishing in the darkness above. Something was going on, and the Kryptonian readied himself for it.

"Welcome Kal-El."

It was a deep voice, one that didn't boom, but contained nothing but absolute severity. Thanks to the acoustics of this large room, that made the voice feel heavier than it really was.

Quickly looking around, Superman spotted something that he hadn't noticed before. Directly in the center of this place, a strange metal cocoon of sorts stood up from the floor. Dim pink lights glowed from it, and getting a hunch, the Kryptonian began to approach it.

More details were observed the closer he became. The thing was mostly dark greys with the dim pinks exposing welded panels that curved, as if encasing. Really, the only thing that really stood out was the green face, one held in calm serenity. Above that face, to the adoptive human's slight disgust was what appeared to be ports drilled into a bald head. Multiple cables plugged into each and every port, both visible and nonvisible, the other ends of the cable rising up towards the dark ceiling that remained unseen.

Then a pair of green eyes opened, the eyelids passing over the optic organs slowly and deliberately. They pierced straight into Superman, holding him still with a hypnotic gaze that was only broken when the mouth opened and the deep voice spoke again.

"Son of Jor-El."

Superman blinked, unconsciously taking a step back. Though he felt he already knew, his body was already responding with a, "Who…?"

The green-skinned head that peeked out of the metal cocoon did not seem to take any offense. "I am the one you have been looking for. I am the one known as Brainiac."

How? According to his father, Brainiac was an AI, and this, this couldn't have been the furthest from the truth. Unless all of this was robotic, in which case this was the most organic android he had ever come across. Instinctively, he used his x-ray vision, and found an even greater disgust. While the cocoon seemed to block off this form of vision, the head was not protected, and thus skull and tissue and blood vessels merging with foreign metal and circuitry was akin to looking at something horrific. Hollywood could never come up with something that gruesome.

"How can you be Brainiac? Brainiac was an artificial intelligence!" He was unable to hold back his skepticism.

"The artificial intelligence was of my design, and one I deign to place my name on," the self-declared Brainiac answered. "It is no more than an extension of myself, a means to allow my consciousness to extend before my ship and into the outer reaches of the universe."

An extension? Did that mean some part of the AI was based off this creature? Even though Jor-El had mentioned that the AI itself had admitted that it had not been Kryptonian-made, this was serving to be a roadblock that the Man of Steel was having trouble getting past. "What was the plan? Infiltrate Krypton? What did they have that you wanted?"

"The only thing one such as I values. Knowledge. Information." This Brainiac was being very forthcoming; it was an honesty that was not commonly seen on Earth. "It is the only reason I exist. To gather and collect information on every species on every planet that has ever existed."

"But then why did you destroy Krypton?" Superman's voice was bitter, and his muscles were becoming more and more tense with every moment.

"I have analyzed much of the data collected from the world you currently inhabit, son of Jor-El. On that planet, your adopted kin values precious metals. Arbitrary symbols of status. I value knowledge. And like your metal trinkets, knowledge is more valuable when it is rare."

Cold realization acted like a blast of Arctic wind, chilling the man to the bone. "You...you always intended to destroy Krypton."

Green returned his gaze impassively. "I did."

"So why? Why send an AI to integrate itself into...into Kryptonian society? To make the people dependent on it? Why?" Superman's voice was becoming louder with each demand he made.

Even in that deep voice, Brainiac remained calm. "Krypton was an experiment."

_Experiment…?_

"Much of my collection was based on gathering samples of what the civilization currently was. I wanted to know if it would be worth the effort to aid such a species to reaching its pinnacle before extraction. Instead of waiting countless cycles, orbits, and rotations, I would speed up a world's progress until none more could be made. The results from that experiment revealed that such an approach was time-consuming and inefficient with my goals. Krypton would be the last world I engaged with in such a manner, and my current approach is far more efficient."

If those methods ended with the destruction of the planet, there was one other mystery then. "So why attack the planet, and destroy a city before everything else?"

"In all appearances, it is an attack, but I do not destroy the city that I collect."

"You destroyed Kandor!"

"And you have laid eyes on Kandor. You have seen the last of Kryptonian civilization only recently, when you looked at its bottle."

"I didn't. I only saw what looked...like...a model…" Sudden implications were making itself known to him, and the Kryptonian's eyes were rising up towards the darkened ceiling, where he had last seen what were…

Those weren't...models?

_Much of my collection was based on gathering samples…_

_...based on gathering samples…_

_...gathering samples…_

It wasn't just that one "bottle," was it? All those other bottles, with all the various cities, they weren't some shrunk to scale model. They were actual cities that had been shrunk down, complete with buildings, infrastructure, and…and…

People.

"You shrunk the city with its people and you...you…"

"The civilization you were raised with, humans they call themselves, have an equivalent of my current practice," Brainiac stated. "There are many words for it, but the segment of the population you surround yourself with use the term 'zoo.'"

He recalled the small enclosures, the ones back at the Metropolis Zoo. Each one held several members of an animal species and each one was designed to keep the animal or animals in. What he had entered was based on the same principle, but it wasn't animals that were being held, it was people.

It was a zoo of people.

"Let them out." His fists clenched until the knuckles turned white. "Let them all out."

"That would be highly irresponsible. Where would their cities go? Their home worlds no longer exist, or can inhabit life."

"They didn't ask for this!" Superman roared, eyes bulging with fury.

"Their compliance is not a factor in my great work. Their collection serves to enhance my own evolution, and nothing more," Brainiac countered, still calm. That only served to anger the dark-haired man further.

"Your compliance is not a factor either, you son of a bitch," he snapped back, throwing the creature's own words back at it. "You will free these people if I have to tear you out of that tin can you're wearing to do so. They aren't going to be imprisoned a second longer."

"That will not be necessary."

The lighting in the large room began to turn red in color, and the gray and pink tin can that this green-faced menace wore began to expand, panels disconnecting from one another. A mist poured from the opening cocoon, one that could have been anything from smoke to water vapor or some mysterious chemical agent. Something squelched, hinting at some kind of liquid being involved, but the Kryptonian was unable to identify anything.

His eyes were only on the green head with the long cables attached to it. So when the head began to move, followed by a green hand reaching through the opened suit, he braced himself, ready for a fight that he found he was more than willing to have.

As Superman opened his mouth, ready to speak, whatever words he was about to say escaped him. On Earth, he tended to be one of the tallest in the room, be it a conference room at the Planet or fighting alongside other members of the Justice League.

As Brainiac's shadow fell over him, the Kryptonian found that he tilting his head back.

Perhaps it had been Earth's meaning of the word brainiac that had deceived him. It was a name, a taunt he had once been called back in his days at Smallville High School. Height withstanding, it typically meant a kid who was too smart for his own good and lacking in muscle to defend himself from jocks and the like.

Brainiac had muscle, enough that he dwarfed the Man of Steel. Broad shoulders spread out wide, and large, bulging arms resting at the green alien's sides. A short-sleeved jumpsuit of blacks and whites covered the rest of a large, muscular body, random designs glowing with pink light decorating over the space-based cloth.

Pink liquid dripped off the enormous hulk whose green eyes fastened themselves onto the small alien, never deviating for a second. With a single step, the larger alien closed the distance between them, the cables attached to the ports in his head following him.

"If it is combat you desire, you shall have it," Brainiac stated. "Know this, the outcome of this conflict was decided long before you set foot on my ship. You belong to me now.

"Another addition to my collection."

* * *

FlackAttack: Abin Sur should be considered deceased. His death has always been a staple of the Green Lantern Corps lore. It would also be correct to assume John Stewart is leading this assault. It is his jurisdiction, and perhaps at a later date we can go more into the Corps and the various intricacies and nuances. Just not this chapter. Also, don't forget that Oa is a big place; it is a planet after all. The possibility of other human Green Lanterns should not be ruled out. As for Wonder Woman, I have absolutely no idea who you could possibly mentions, wink wink.


	16. Futility

Futility

Whenever he faced a threat, Superman was usually, if not always, the first to go in, fists flying. This time was no different. The dark-haired Kryptonian lunged forward, arm cocked back. Whatever distance that existed between the two aliens was closing and closing quickly. From his various experiences in fighting, his body was acting for him, picking the second to begin unwinding and throwing his right fist ahead.

It didn't matter that Brainiac was bigger and taller than him; the Man of Steel had faced threats that sometimes towered over buildings and had still come out on top.

Brainiac, for his part, stood where he was before calmly taking a step to the side at the best moment to evade the attack. Air rushed about the blue-wearing hero's fist as it harmlessly passed by his opponent.

Not deterred, Superman pressed forward, throwing his other fist at the larger alien. Again, Brainiac moved out of the way, his green eyes flickering as they followed the path the Kryptonian's attack moved before returning back to the man himself.

Several more punches were thrown, all were dodged, and then Brainiac mixed things up, moving faster than his large frame would hint at. A shockingly massive hand shot out and clamped down on Superman's throat, gripping tight enough that it surprised the Kryptonian with its strength. The next thing he knew, he was being picked up into the air, his feet flailing about while his hands gripped at the muscular green arm.

"I have analyzed the data from my probe. You favor your right side and attacks that require the use of your arms," the green being commented, his voice never raising an octave. "Evasion strategies were simple to devise."

Chokingly, Superman grunted back, "What about this?"

Tensing up a leg, he swung the limb in a kick, getting high enough to strike Brainiac in his head. Cables rattled against one another as the green-skinned head jerked back from the blow, but it was quick to return, no sign of humor or offense on that impassive face. Worryingly, the alien's grip on the dark-haired man's throat had not lessened one bit. Instead, it got tighter.

Alright, time for a different approach. Superman widened his eyes, readying his heat his vision. However, before he could fire the beams, his body was lifted higher into the air before being slammed into the floor. His concentration disrupted, the adopted Earthling felt the buildup of energy in his eyes fade away.

Then he was picked up again, the large hand never releasing his neck for a second. Brainiac then flung him away, the Man of Steel crashing in the rounded wall of the large chamber. The impact of his body hitting the metal surface sent a dull yet loud boom throughout the room. Air was forced out of his lungs due to the impact.

Before his body could fall to the floor or he could hold himself up, smooth, metal restraints slipped through the wall and wrapped around his arms, holding Superman tightly. Sharp-tipped ends fastened themselves down, cutting into the material of his costume.

"As I told you, you belong to me now," Brainiac stated, beginning a slow, methodical approach to the Kryptonian. "There is no escape."

"I don't belong to you or anyone else," Superman growled as he pulled at his restraints.

"You do, you always have," the larger alien refuted. "I had believed that Kandor to be the last and only vessel of Kryptonian data left in the universe, until my probe responded with your existence. Your very presence outside of my bio-shell allows others to share in Kryptonian science and culture." Coming to a stop feet away, Brainiac's calm and clinical mien hinted that anger lied beneath the surface. "I cannot allow my information to be shared."

Superman glowered back. "It's not yours to keep." With more strength than he imagined needing to be used, the dark-haired Kryptonian ripped himself out of the restraints, the sharp ends tearing pieces of his costume off. With Brainiac too close, there was no way for him to evade the right punch from decking him the face with a follow-up from the left.

And then a gut punch interrupted the assault, Superman's body practically jackknifing around the green, muscular arm. Another blow sent him flying away, bouncing off the floor before coming to a stop.

"What do you hope to accomplish here, Kal-El?" Heavy footsteps gave away Brainiac's approach. "You have accomplished very little here. By coming here, you have accomplished, for me, a great deal. You have saved me the time and effort required to find you and end your contamination.

"You now belong to me."

* * *

The device was long and thin. At least in the large hands of the Martian, it appeared that way. For a human, it would've been the size of a brick and as long as two put together. It was cylindrical in shape, one end flat, the other blossoming out to form a large mouth.

Or as Flash had put it, "What's with the flashlight?"

Unlike a flashlight, there was a panel that ran the length of the device, a few buttons forming a column down the shaft. That was the main operation panel that activated and deactivated the device.

"This is the final product of the countermeasure I have been working on," J'onn intoned, looking over the remaining members of the League. His two hands held onto the device, allowing it to be viewed by his comrades. Pointing one end towards them, he continued his presentation. "This end emits a powerful electromagnetic surge, one that can interfere with electrical output. It should disable the Brainiac probes, rendering them inoperable."

He then turned it so that he could show the panel. "The top button activates the device as well as deactivating it. The next two allow the user to strengthen or weaken the pulse. The bottom is the triggering mechanism that allows you to fire the electromagnetic pulse. It can be a short burst, or a long blast depending on the user's need."

A hand shot up, one belonging to Flash. "Question," he spoke bluntly, "what the heck are you talking about?"

"He's talking about a weapon, Flash," Hawkgirl answered for the Martian.

"And you have any idea on how it works?"

"Not at all," she shrugged. "All I understood was that it can turn the probes off. That's really all that matters."

That wasn't the reaction J'onn was hoping for. Flash's inability to understand his technical jargon was expected, but it seemed Hawkgirl's only care was of the final result. She didn't bother with understanding the mechanics so long as it worked.

"It's an EMP emitter," Batman suddenly spoke up, causing the two Leaguers to look at him. "It'll fry anything run by a computer."

"Oh," Flash responded. "Why didn't J'onn say so?"

"He did."

"I mean, why didn't he say it for, you know, laymen?"

Batman just looked at the speedster, the impression of him raising an eyebrow at the young man being given. J'onn resisted a sigh. Flash at least had a point on using less technical language. Perhaps he should have started his presentation that way.

"What if the probes are immune to the EMP?" Diana suddenly asked. "Would that render the EMP device useless?"

"All circuitry is exposed at some point or another," Batman replied. "While the circuitry can be shielded, at some point it has to be accessed, like at a computer terminal."

"And after extensive research, I have found that the probes are not shielded from the pulse's frequency," J'onn added.

"So will this work on only the probes, or maybe something larger, like the Watchtower?" Hawkgirl inquired.

J'onn paused at that, while Batman looked to him. "If I built the EMP big enough, it could," he admitted after awhile. "The handheld version will not, though one could cause enough damage inside such a facility if they used it at key locations."

"How soon could you get an EMP that size?"

"Months, I'm afraid. The power source needed to create such a pulse would be enormous. It was one thing to construct the device I hold now, but more power is needed to not only ensure a powerful pulse, but one that could travel to its target."

"At the very least, we can take out the probes," Batman said then. "We can worry about producing a larger model later. Brainiac will have its own transportation, a ship designed for battle. Right now we don't know what those capabilities are short of a weapon designed to destroy an entire city. We'll need to be able to defend against such a weapon."

"Not to mention finding a way to detect where Brainiac is and when it plans on attacking," Diana pointed out. "Do we have an early detection system?"

"That's what the Watchtower is for," the Gotham vigilante replied. "It has the best detection system on the planet; it was designed to detect an incursion like this."

"So we got that in place," Flash said. "How many of these pulse thingamabobs do we have?"

"I have made a few," J'onn responded. "And more are in development. I would like to have plenty in order to ensure ourselves and our allies are able to use them."

"Do that," Batman told him. "As for the rest of us, someone will need to be on the Watchtower to monitor any objects heading this way. We'll also need to make our own preparations. We don't know what this enemy is fully capable of, so we need to take steps for anything."

J'onn nodded his agreement. Looking down at the EMP, he began to mentally calculate how many he could have produced using the Fortress of Solitude's equipment.

Hopefully it would be enough.

* * *

Superman was taking heavy breaths. Usually this happened after exerting himself to the limit, and that usually took some time. Fighting Brainiac in a short amount of time had already brought him to this point.

As he pushed himself back on his feet, the Kryptonian readied himself for the next round. This was how he fought, going in, sometimes getting hit about, then thinking over his options when brute force was not enough. Sometimes inspiration would hit, a key detail he had seen would light the proverbial light bulb over his head, and then he would be able to turn it all around.

"I know what you're thinking. You are afraid," Brainiac stated, standing imposingly before him. "Like all lifeforms, fear is what drives you, as it does now. What you are, what you represent, will continue to live on, I assure. As with everything, it will live within me."

Ma could have been over exaggerating when she told him he was one of a kind, but he highly doubted that anything lived within this cyborg of an alien. Yes, he was afraid, but not for himself. What scared him more was if he failed here, what would happen to Earth, to Ma and Pa, to Lois, and everyone else. No, failure was not an option here.

"Sorry, but I already have a lease," Superman retorted as he went on the offensive. Giving it his all, he threw his next punch at the massive menace.

This time, Brainiac did not dodge. What the green alien did do was catch his fist, fingers biting down into the back of his smaller hand. Shock appeared on the Metropolis transplant's face. His strength, one that he was famous for had been stopped with nothing to show for it.

A blow snapped the dark-haired man's head to a side, and several jabs struck all over his torso. Brainiac's movements had changed, though what that meant escaped the pummeled man as he was hit again and again, then flipped down onto his back.

"You continue with the same approach, as if doing so will end with a different result," Brainiac remarked.

Fine, he wanted something different? Picking his feet up, he forced the rest of his legs to go above him, rolling his torso back so that he was balancing on his hands and shoulder blades. He fired his legs out, aimed right for Brainiac's gut, but the larger alien took up an odd stance, one that allowed him to parry the missiling feet and negate the attack altogether.

Large muscular arms snaked about the Kryptonian's legs and pinned them together. The next thing Superman knew, he was flipping about until he landed on the metal floor harshly.

"You are a brute," Brainiac continued. "You use force to overwhelm your opponent until they are beaten into submission. I, meanwhile, have downloaded into myself the combat skills and martial style associated with the Rak'tera, a species I acquired many orbits ago. Against it, brute force is arbitrary."

Did this bastard expect him to quit because of that? Rolling onto his side, Superman was slower to get up this time, but he was able to get back onto his feet. Concentrating, he attempted to go long distance for this one, using his heat vision to either hurt or distract the alien. The red lighting clashed with Brainiac's green skin, a contrast that jarred visually.

However, no beams of red energy shot from his eyes. The other alien showed no signs of being hit or injured. This...this did not make sense. Confusion would have to wait, because his enemy was beginning that slow, methodical walk of his. To buy time, Superman inhaled a large breath of air, then exhaled it through his mouth, hoping to freeze the looming alien and buy some time.

All that came out of his mouth was regular, unaltered air.

"Confusion outweighs your fear," Brainiac described. "The abilities you possess, that no other Kryptonian has ever possessed no longer are available to you. Long did I analyze the data I received, comparing it to my own, searching for all variables that would explain why you are so different from the rest of your species. I eliminated numerous factors, simulated others, before finally narrowing it down to one singular variable.

"The planet of which you adopted as your home orbits a young star, one that releases yellow light, while Krypton orbited an older star and was exposed to red light. My hypothesis was that the radiation from a young star is what inspires your abilities while radiation from an older star represses it. Thus, to test this hypothesis, I made upgrades to my bio-shell. The light of which you are now currently exposed to is emitting the same radiation as one would encounter from a red star.

"It seems my hypothesis is correct. You are now powerless."

With every word that Brainiac spoke, dread began building and building within Superman. He had thought that the red lighting had been an alert, one that was tied to Brainiac leaving that cocoon of his.

Instead, he had been gradually drained of everything that made him...well, super. It was why Brainiac seemed to be getting stronger and stronger as time passed while he only got weaker and weaker…

A hand pulled at the front of his uniform and pulled him up into the air, his feet dangling. Green eyes clinical bored into him, as if searching for something only they knew to look for. "Continued resistance is futile and pointless. There will be no victory for you this day."

That wasn't going to stop the Man of Steel, and he showed that by lunging with his hands forward for one more gambit.

* * *

"Talk to me, Happersen. What's your progress."

The alert from the head of this latest project of his had had Luthor speeding down to the lower levels of his corporate offices with a speed that would rival that blue-colored boy scout's. The lead researcher had been doing exactly as instructed, even though it had meant it interrupted a particularly delicate call with a foreign national who will remain anonymous for now.

This project was so much more important than maintaining healthy professional relationships.

"We've managed to break much of the code, Mr. Luthor," Happersen responded immediately. "Once we were able to identify common sequences, we were able to speed up the rate of translation. We're approximately eighty percent complete, but that isn't why I contact you. What is is that we have been able to uncover the means to reactivate the robot, sir. More importantly, we've been able to get into the programming itself. It's amazing."

Indeed, but Luthor was looking more for applications. To his side, Mercy stood as a testament to his stoicism. "I would hope there is more to this than what you have been telling me."

"Indeed. We're learning just what this robot is and was programmed to do. Based on the translation, it's more a probe with the sole purpose of gathering information. It's a scout, Mr. Luthor."

The bald CEO's eyes were now trained on the robot, already mulling over this new information. The machine was designed for reconnaissance, meaning a full military utility had not been its primary function. Yet it had given Superman a run for its money. If it could be upgraded to be fully combat oriented, what else would it be capable of?

"Now, we've run into a bit of stumbling block," Happersen continued, sounding sheepish with the admittance. "When we learned that it was suppose to gather intel, we tried to figure out if there was anything specific it was looking for—"

"And?" Luthor cut in, wanting to get to the point. His time was worth billions, several million for every second. As much as this was his pet project, he still had a multi-billion multi-national to run.

"That's just it. It was going for everything. Didn't matter if it was some comment on the internet or top secret intelligence, it targeted everything," the researcher explained. "Its memory capacity, though, it's enormous, even by our standards. The repository it has for data is so big, it could probably, easily, handle maybe a quarter of what's out there in cyberspace. It really is designed for scouting and reconnaissance."

So how would he be able to use this? The revelations, while intriguing, left much to be designed for application, which is what he really cared for.

"Weaponry?" It sounded and was spoken like a question, but it was anything but.

"Again, leagues above our own. Hell, it's advanced even when compared to the Kalanorian tech we were able to acquire," Happersen admitted. "Given the size of those cannons, shrink them down and make them portable and that's what we have here. The designer is like the alien equivalent of the Japanese."

Meaning taking something big and bulky and making it small and sleek.

"The armor is something we have, excuse the pun, not scratched the surface yet," Happersen continued. "It's not a material you find on Earth, at least in great quantity. Periodically, there's some artifact or ancient construct that has the material in it, but not in this quantity. Rebuilding it as is is not possible without considering different material, and even then that may compromise its integrity."

Mercy had left the business tycoon's side to stand beside the robot, its chest open with countless wires spilling out and into it. Eyes that were perpetually unimpressed with everything she saw, but were sharper than a knife's edge gazed into the humanoid machine while the scientist updated his boss of their progress.

It was from her when she asked, "Can you reprogram this thing?"

Luthor had turned only enough to regard his bodyguard questioningly, but found that the inquiry was one that had struck his curiosity. He turned back to his employee and made it known that he too would like the answer.

"Reading the programming and working the programming are two different things. With enough time, it is possible to reprogram it. We have been unlocking its secrets with our digital Rosetta stone, but whether Earth-based programming is compatible—"

"Regardless, I want you to get on it," Luthor interrupted. His green eyes now bored into this fantastic piece of machinery, demanding its secrets to be revealed to him. So many possibilities, all of which could take time, and even then there was so much room for error that it would make any lesser man of business run screaming away in terror.

He wanted so much to gain the advantage that this robot could give him, the edge that would allow the tycoon to finally put down that menace in blue spandex and red cape. Metropolis was his city, and he wasn't going to share it.

But, the threat that Superman truly was was not limited to just to himself. It was a point of shame that some clown from Gotham had been the one to truly tear off the facade of safety and nobility that alien had cultivated for himself. The destruction that had followed had held a silver lining; Superman was a potential threat and now everyone was aware of it. The months he had spent afterwards on the follow up smear campaign had been pure schadenfreude, and a period of time he hoped to one day make permanent.

Of course there would always be one new threat, one big enough that it was a job for only Superman to handle, and the goodwill near annihilation would make caused memories to become short.

From the skies came the curse of Superman. From these same skies came perhaps another means to destroy him, both in body and symbolic.

That his employees had been able to open up this godsend, both literally and metaphorically meant that he was one step closer to solidifying a legacy, one that would live on beyond himself and the business empire he had painstakingly created. The numerous wires that fed into or stuck out of the chest cavity symbolize an impending triumph. The humming of computers and various machines that worked without fail was an orchestra to the bald man's ears, a piece of music whose notes only sung victory with every second they played. The robots eyes lighting up with life could only—

Wait. Why were the eyes…?

Distantly, Luthor heard someone swear, "Oh shit!"

"Error. Physical shelling has been compromised. Sending transmission," the robot spoke, its voice loud amongst the technicians and their equipment. "Sending transmission. Error. Physical shelling has been compromised."

Some idiot had turned it on.

"Turn it off," Luthor said loudly, eyes widening at the implications. Then louder and angrier, "I said turn it off!"

"Turn the damn thing off!" Happersen roared as he spun on his heel, racing to the nearest terminal.

Mercy had pulled away, drawing her weapon while situating herself between the now activated robot and her boss.

"Error. Sending transmission. Transmission sent."

"Shut it down before it makes contact!" Luthor bellowed, not taking his eyes away from the disaster growing before him. Every second felt like an eternity, and each one continued to allow his godsend to send him back down to Hell. Then, what was almost second nature in such situations, the bald businessman snapped, "Mercy!"

Mercy responded, a woman more reliable than any machine at times. This time, she aimed her firearm at the various wires and began firing. Bullets pelted into the mess, but the bodyguard would not stop.

"Transmission sent. Waiting for confirmation of arrival. Transmission sent."

Mercy pulled out the empty clip and crammed a full one in. Happersen worked furiously at his terminal. Technicians and other employees raced about, trying to _stop this_ before it became worse. All Luthor could do was stand there, his hands tightening into fists and his knuckles growing whiter.

"Transmission—"

Light left the robot's eyes, any and all movement ceased, and the rest of the facility came to a standstill. Gunfire came to an abrupt halt, and the only sound of importance was the hissing of severed wires, one of those had to have been supplying power to the animatronic machine. Without the constant flow of electricity, there was nothing to provide energy for the humanoid to operate.

Luthor could only hear the sounds of his own breathing, and he used it to calm himself down. For everyone else, this was their hell, waiting for however their employer was going to respond. One could hear a pin drop, if they bothered to listen.

One brave soul took the chance to say, "Mr. Luthor—"

A single hand shot up into the air, a gesture to say "shut up." The CEO was not in the mood to hear any excuses or apologies from anyone. Instead, he needed to take control of the situation and move ahead with it.

"Did you keep track of that transmission," he said at last, his words not a question in the slightest.

Happersen's fingers tapped several keys. "We did, Mr. Luthor. We can follow it...it went into the recesses of space."

"And?" There was more, information that the researcher was not saying, but Luthor would not wait to hear it.

"It was loud. No encryptions. Anyone paying attention to any broadcasting signals would have seen it," Happersen confirmed the CEO's fears.

Their time was now up.

"Who turned it on?" he asked calmly, his tone of voice betraying no signs of anger.

There was a moment before a technician, one whose voice he recognized from a certain expletive volunteered himself. "I...It was me. I mean. It was an accident. I didn't mean to hit the key, I…"

Luthor wouldn't look at the idiot. Instead, again calmly, he said, "Mercy. Take care of it."

He could get angry. He could become enraged. He could bluster and shout and roar, but he wouldn't do any of that. He was a man who had people who would do that for him. More importantly, he had Mercy.

Without watching the descent of his bodyguard, and fixer of inconveniences, Luthor redirected him energies towards Happersen. "Do what you can. Finish the translation. Download every bit of information you can. Draw up blueprints, do whatever you need to, and hide it all. I will handle anyone who pays a visit. One thing I want you to do, over everything else, is trace that transmission. I want to know it was received or not. Work as long as you need to, overtime is not an issue, but do it around the clock. No one clocks out until I give the word."

Happersen nodded before turning to his staff. "You all heard Mr. Luthor. Get back to work, no clocking out."

There was whimpering from a certain technician as Mercy manhandled him away and out of sight. Activity resumed and the hum that had been musical earlier was a distracting din that the tycoon needed to remove himself from.

Trouble was on the horizon, coming from two different fronts. The first, and graver, threat came from the stars themselves. If the robot had been able to reach whatever it was trying to contact, who knew what would answer? The second, and more manageable threat was one that he knew he could handle easily. Authorities from this planet was something he knew how to deal with.

Would they be happy that he had this robot in his possession? No, of course not. Would they hope to take him down at long last and tarnish his legacy? Absolutely.

But not to worry, he had a plan.

* * *

Spittle splattered onto the floor, a well-placed knee in Superman's gut being the culprit. His armed yanked upwards, a swift jab to his ribs followed, and then the world spun until cold, unfeeling metal welcomed his back.

It was not going well. Everything was slower now, every action he took whether it was simple movement or even breathing took too much effort. Sweat was pouring down his face, and drenching bruised skin and mixing with trails of blood.

Yet, the adopted Earthling was not about to give up. Not yet.

Brainiac stood there, waiting to see what he would do next. Large, muscular arms hung at the green alien's sides, able to snap into action without a second's hesitation. For the moment, there was nothing, but that would change with how the Man of Steel would chose to respond.

Lifting a hand up, Superman wiped at his mouth, then started to push himself back up. He was slower about it, something that was increasing with every second. The harsh reds of the room only highlighted what kind of shit he was in now, and Ma would not like that he had even thought of that expletive.

His legs were unsteady, and balance was becoming hard to come by, but the Kryptonian wasn't about to stay down, not when there was so much on the line.

There were those who called him an angel, and angels came hand in hand with miracles. Well, he may need one himself right about now, but outside of dues ex machina, he might have to make one.

Holding his arms in front of himself, hands balled into unsteadied fists, Superman took up a pose he had last since done back in Elementary School.. Wobbling, he edged his way closer to Brainiac, who continued to do nothing.

At least, not until Superman jabbed a fist forward, only for it be knocked aside. The Kryptonian's throat was seized yet again by a large, green hand, and now he was choking. Up he went as the muscular armed heaved him into the air, then reversed course and forced the dark-haired man down into the floor.

The boom that echoed throughout the chamber was felt in his bones, and he might have blacked out for a moment.

"Did you know that I have kept myself in stasis for nearly three hundred complete orbits of your adopted world?" Brainiac spoke, his deep voice the only thing that did seem to be weak, or shaky, or disorienting. "I needed to see this with my own eyes. I find that I am unimpressed, Kryptonian. Your intellect seems deficient, you show no aptitude for learning, and your bio-suit has shown to have no apparent purpose.

"The only thing you have accomplished is delivering yourself to me. Perhaps the contamination is mutual. You are a poor representative of the scientifically advanced Krypton. What detrimental effects have you experienced from...Earth, I believe is the name the dominant species has given their planet. To what extent has the cross-contamination had on you? This is a question I will answer."

Superman clasped onto Brainiac' wrist. "I...I...I won't…"

He was picked up again, and held up to Brainiac's cold, flat face. "You have no power to alter my decision."

The defiance Superman responded with was so satisfying, as was the glob of saliva that trickled down green skin. It also worth the punch to the face in received in kind, his head snapping back and forth like a bobblehead.

Brainiac was frowning, though. "That...was impulsive. I have not done such a thing, not even during my days in childhood. You inspire behaviors in me that are foreign. The contamination is contagious."

Superman managed a slight smile, even as he felt something wet flowing down the lower part of his face. It gave him something to keep fighting for, but if only he could use it somehow.

Then he was held away, allowing the green menace to gut punch him brutally. This was followed by a second blow to the face, and then a third to his ribs, and lastly a kick into his torso that threw him back until he was skidding across the floor.

This time, the Kryptonian wasn't getting up. The endless boundaries of energy that he normally had, the endurance and stamina that seemed to have no end were robbed from him from the persistent radiation of the red light his skin continuously absorbed. In some ways, it was like kryptonite poisoning, but more insidious as whatever damage he took was being deliberately done to him and not a side effect of mere exposure.

Kryptonite radiation did what it did because that was the way it was. It held no grudge against him, even if enough exposure would eventually kill him. Red sunlight wasn't as merciful, at least here it wasn't. He would only be at the mercy of the person exposing him to it, and so far Brainiac was proving to have absolutely none.

"You have presented so many problems, ones that will take much time and resources to correct." Footsteps were approaching him once more. "It is fortunate I have both in surplus. I will fix my error, I will find every world you have come into contact with, and then I will collect all of them. Your contamination ends, and my evolution continues.

"I will bring this all to its end."

* * *

Thanks to the collaboration with the Justice League, A.R.G.U.S. was starting to make some headway on these alien robots.

Though Steve Trevor was by no means an expert on robotics, he understood just how advanced these things were. Compared to the models the Earth had produced, those were tinker toys in comparison to these well-oiled machines. They were so far behind, it was almost insulting.

So he was taking this in stride rather than letting his ego take a hit. There were alien cultures that had successfully developed interstellar travel while human's had barely mapped out their own solar system with satellites. Naturally foreign technology would be more advanced.

It had been an achievement that they had unraveled the computing code these robots ran off. Everyone had been baffled by the sheer length—or lack thereof—when they first pulled it up. To learn the code was piled on top of itself had been surprising. Then they unfolded it and found more than they bargained for. Now they were in the process of trying to interpret it and progress had come to an instant halt.

This did nothing for the impatience of the big wigs and politicians. They wanted results now, now, now. They had little to no idea just how much effort went into deciphering such code. Steve was of the mind that if they thought it was so easy, they should bring in these egomaniacs and have them work on the code. Either they would interpret it, or they'd failed spectacularly; Steve was betting on the latter.

The Director was currently dealing with that, buying time and space needed for them to do their jobs. He did not envy her being in that position, surrounded by self-important people with the kind of patience that could fit in a thimble.

Thankfully, his counterpart in Waller had patience in spades. To his chagrin, Waller was put in charge of things until the Director returned, and that was after some persuasion from the Wall herself. When shown the code, she understood just how much work was going into interpreting the symbols. Sure, she wanted results, but she realized that if they couldn't make any progress, then they were at a dead end. Still, there were other aspects of the robot they could study and make some headway with.

Today just so happened to be her turn to be briefed on their progress. "Tell me what you have," Waller said bluntly as she marched right up to the blond man.

"Still no progress on the code," Steve replied. "We've managed to find common symbols throughout, but nothing that tells us their meaning. We have a team comparing the code to the alien languages that we know; right now they're applying Kalanorian to find commonalities. I'm planning on meeting with the Justice League to see if they've made any progress on their end, since they have other aliens that can examine it."

"What else do you have?" the dark-skinned woman asked then, not bothering to waste more time on the code.

"We're re-engineering the robots' weapon systems. Right now we're designing an electrical discharging weapon based off of what the robots use."

Waller looked up at the taller man. "And how useful is that going to be for A.R.G.U.S.?"

"Considering these things can fire out an electrical blast more powerful than any design we have, we're talking about a weapon that can fry a chicken at thirty paces."

"So can a bolt of lightning," she retorted. "All that is is just an updated version of our current electrical weapons. You're going to have to do more to impress me."

So much for patience. "Honestly, we're going to learn a lot more when we can crack that damn code. It'll tell us everything from operating systems to weaknesses. We'd be able to beef up our firewall and cybersecurity systems since its hacking program is a part of it. I could tell you we're trying to make an equivalent metal to the one these robots are made out of, but that's progressing slowly as well. Everything is going slow on this one, Waller."

The woman shook her head. "That's unacceptable. If we were making some kind of progress, we'd be able to shut the politicians down, but we can't do anything with what you've shown so far."

"Maybe we can bring them here and they can show us how easy it is," Steve suggested. While he doubted that would work, it didn't hurt to say it.

Waller actually paused at that. Then she snorted. "Nice one. Maybe I'll do just that." Oh crap, was she taking him seriously? "I'll see if I can give you another couple of days, but you better have someone we can work with. Otherwise we'll lose control and some other damn agency will get to putter around with it."

Suddenly, one of the computers made a sharp alarm. The two government officials looked to it just as one of the researchers came flying in, rolling across the room in a rolling chair. Coming to a stop in front of the terminal, he began typing frantically on the keyboard.

Without prompting, Steve moved towards the computer, Waller following close behind. "What's going on?" he demanded once he came to stand behind the researcher.

It took a moment, but the scientist finally answered him. "I'm detecting an active signal from one of the robots, but...it's not coming from any of the ones we have in our possession."

Steve and Waller shared a look with each other. "Is it the missing one?" he pressed as he returned his attention to the computer monitor.

"Possibly. I'm trying to…" he trailed off before he let out a triumphant shout, "I got it! I've isolated the frequency!"

"Trace it," Waller barked as she drew closer, placing a hand on the back of the man's chair. She damn near leaned over the researcher's shoulder as her eyes hardened on the screen.

"Working on it," the man quickly replied, his fingers dancing across the keyboard. "As long as it keeps broadcasting, I can give you a location in a couple of minutes."

"Trevor, prep a squad for reacquisition," Waller then ordered, looking to the blond man. "Take as many men as you'd like—in fact, I'm encouraging it. I want to send a message to this thief that you don't ever steal from the federal government. Excessive force is authorized."

"Copy," Steve replied. He'd stay long enough to ensure they had a general location on the robot's signal, then go see to his orders. He'd rather not be surprised in a few minutes if they lost the signal due to it being shut down. Already the search had narrowed the signal's source to the North American continent...scratch that, the New England area. It'd only be a matter of time now.

* * *

It had been a long time since Brainiac had left his bio-shell to personally confront any particular lifeform. Dealing with the renegade Kryptonian had been an anomaly, one important enough to leave the confines of stasis to handle himself, whereas he would normally assign the task to his AIs and programming.

The end was predictable and decided long before he had taken the small, Kryptonian vessel with its precious cargo. That cargo was receiving the last blows in a conflict that was ending here and now.

The Coluan could not deny the feeling of satisfaction he felt as he dealt the final blow, the combat skills of the Rak'tera influencing his movements enough to increase the effectiveness of the last attack.

Unmoving, but alive, the last son of Krypton lay at his feet. There was blood, tissue damage, and more than probable some broken bones. This would require medical attention, particularly if he wanted to continue researching this anomaly.

A Kryptonian with abilities never before recorded was an opportunity for research, and the knowledge gained would be absolutely priceless. Once, he had believed that he had learned everything there was to know about Krypton and its dominant species. For the first time since he had constructed this ship and had set forth on his self-imposed duty, he had been proven wrong.

It would take time to correct this error, finding every planet that the errant Krytonian had contaminated and excising them from the rest of the universe. In time, it would prove to be a minor setback, and nothing more.

First, the world that had taken the Kryptonian in would need to be found, its exact coordinates uncovered. The ship his prize had used to find him would be more than useful for this task.

A holographic screen appeared, a transmission received containing both redundant information and a set of coordinates from the planet it had transmitted from. A quick scan revealed that some of the redundant data was the same from the first transmission, the same information that revealed the existence of Kal-El.

Earth had been conveniently found.

With a thought, he inputted the commands to set the bio-shell's new destination. While awaiting arrival, time would be used to analyze and compare the new data with the rest, purge anything redundant, and identify the same to be collected.

Two drones were summoned, the robot arms hoisted up the defeated Kryptonian—if this man could even be called such. He was more like a brute, one far removed from his more cultured and sophisticated kin, enough that he may as well be a new species.

Still, much knowledge would be gleaned from this pseudo-Kryptonian, and only after the Coluan had learned what there was to know, the decision of whether to keep or terminate the specimen would have to be made. That could wait for now, as other tasks needed to be seen to.

Nothing would stand in his way of cataloging all knowledge the universe possessed.

* * *

Author's Note: Huh, everyone was predicting that Superman was going to have his ass handed to him this chapter. Are we falling into a rut if we're that predictable?


	17. Running Out of Time

Running Out of Time

The call had been placed via Oracle. Unfortunately, a new locale was needed for the meeting. It had taken a while, but there was really only one place that was safe for this meeting, one that would ensure prying ears and eyes would not find.

The Birds of Prey had been in the process of taking over another dilapidated building, this time a former corner store. The rest of the city block was empty, but it allowed for greater expansion should the Birds need it. Currently the rest of the building structure was sealed off to ensure addicts and squatters didn't try to get too close.

It was in one of these empty store fronts Batman stood, a couple large crates next to him. Looking out of the dark-tinged window, he looked into the desolate street, one Gotham had conveniently forgotten. If this turned out to be a new base of operations for the city's vigilantes, he would make sure it remained that way. Real estate investments were one of his alter ego's hobbies now.

The main reason for this place was that the Bat-bunker was compromised in large part to the Black Glove. He didn't blame the other vigilantes' reluctance to return there and he made sure the place was sealed off, all useful bits of equipment removed. There was no point in saving it.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the Birds in the room with him, Huntress and Manhunter leaning against walls as Black Canary took a moment to speak with Nightwing. Katana was doing some maintenance on her swords, ensuring their sharpness. Batgirl stood nearby, her eyes never once leaving him.

That seemed to be the entire team. The Dark Knight was quick to note that Nightwing's Batclan members were absent, Bluebird and Spoiler. Though he had no attachment to them—in fact he rather they not be involved in vigilantism period—it was strange that they weren't present. It was as if their numbers had diminished.

Regardless, it felt as if this was all who would be here. There was no point in continuing to wait. Turning around to face the vigilantes, he greeted, "Thank you for coming on short notice. I'm assuming this is all who is coming."

Nightwing was quick to nod his agreement. "That's right."

"It kinda helps you wanted to meet next door," Huntress pointed out as she pushed herself off the wall she was leaning against. "So what's this about? What's in the crates?"

"I'm sure you're aware of the attacks that occurred throughout the world, including the one in Gotham." At this, the dark-clad man glanced to Black Canary and Manhunter, both of whom nodded. The others just gave him their undivided attention.

"As of now, it is believed they are all connected. An artificial intelligence going by the name of Brainiac intends to come to Earth and destroy it."

There were a couple of gasps and several startled looks. Continuing, "I have been investigating the matter through the Justice League. It's been discovered that Brainiac was responsible for the destruction of Krypton, Superman's home planet. It's because of this that I'm taking this threat seriously."

"And what do you expect from us?" Huntress demanded. "This seems like a Justice League matter. No offense to anyone here, but if this thing could kill an entire planet of Supermen, I rather doubt any of us will stand a chance."

"She's right about that," Nightwing agreed.

"So?" Manhunter retorted. "Does that mean either of you won't fight? Cause like hell will I let this computer thing destroy my home."

"I think Huntress and Nightwing are just getting at the point that this threat may be over our heads," Black Canary was quick to point out, ever the diplomat. The blonde woman then returned her attention to the Caped Crusader. "I do have to ask why you're bringing this to us."

In response, Batman turned to one of the crates. Prying off the lid, he then reached in and pulled out one of J'onn's EMP devices. "This is an electromagnetic pulse generator." He then tossed one at Huntress, who caught it with both hands. "The League was able to pinpoint a weakness in the robot bodies Brainiac sent. This should shut down each robot."

The vigilantes stared at the device before the purple-clad woman snorted. "I should have known you were going to have some weapon for us. Alright, I'm game."

"Is this all you came for? To give us these new toys?" Manhunter then questioned. "If so, then thanks."

Batman shook his head. "I'm not just giving these to you and turning you loose. I'm going to tell you everything I know about this impending threat that I can because before this is all over, I'm certain every single one of us here is going to be impacted."

That caught the collective attention of the room. "Unfortunately, I know every little about this Brainiac. What its capabilities are, what its intention outside global destruction, or even how it plans to accomplish its goal. The attacks weeks ago was a scouting mission at worst. For all we know, it knows everything it needs to get what it wants and blow up Earth."

"That's a downer," Manhunter said after a moment.

"Even worse, Superman and Green Lantern won't be available to us in this fight as far as I know." He glanced to the other vigilantes to see their reaction. "Lantern has gone to the headquarters of his Lantern Corp, so there's no telling if he'll get back in time to help. As for Superman, he's left to go confront Brainiac by himself."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Huntress countered. "Shouldn't he be enough to beat this thing down before it even gets to Earth?"

"Unless," Black Canary spoke up, "you expect he'll fail."

"Both are possibilities," Batman admitted. "It's possible Superman defeats Brainiac and that's it. On the other hand, it's equally possible that Brainiac wins. What I've told you so far about Brainiac is the same amount of knowledge Superman has. If this AI wins, I have no doubt it'll come here and finish the job. In that case, I'd rather we be ready."

"That is reasonable," Katana agreed quietly.

"So are both of these crates filled with these EMP generators," Nightwing then asked, having taken the time to walk up to them. He was toeing the crate that had yet to be opened with his foot.

"Not exactly. I've brought several of the EMPs for you to use. I'm also in the process of taking other...steps...to ensure that Gotham is protected from whatever Brainiac is planning, aside from the planet blowing up of course. The second crate has a prototype for all of you to practice with."

"Are the EMPs not going to be enough?"

"If Brainiac sends an armada of those robots, there's no telling."

"Is there anything else we need to know about this thing," Huntress then inquired.

"The only other information the League knows is that Brainiac infiltrated every aspect of Kryptonian society. It then destroyed a city right before the planet exploded. If this is its pattern, then it's already infiltrated Earth. Every aspect of our cybernetwork was breached, assuming that was Brainiac's intent. That only leaves the destruction of a city before Earth follows."

Batman then gave each and every vigilante a look, lingering for a moment on Batgirl, before saying, "I expect the fighting to be intense. If a way to beat Brainiac presents itself, be it some weakness, or...anything, I'm going to ensure it gets exploited. This may take me out of Gotham, so I'm going to be relying on all of you to ensure Gotham is protected."

For a moment, he felt the urge to sigh, but fought it back. Such proclaimations didn't need to admit the possibility such a venture would be a suicide trip. Already he could see his daughter stiffening, so he knew a private talk with her was next. In the meantime, there were still preparations that needed to be made.

"Now, I'm going to show you how these devices work. I hope you didn't have any plans for tonight because we're going to be here for awhile."

* * *

In his office, the view of Metropolis ignored despite how stunning it was, Luthor sat behind his massive desk, reading the last of Happersen's latest report.

The translation program was complete, belated as it was, and everything was being downloaded into harddrives and hidden until further notice. As for the actual translation, that was still being tweaked, but the distance it had so far traveled was phenomenal. More work was needed, and only patience could be reserved for it.

Sometimes time and patience went hand in hand, but not in this case. Time was a resource he didn't have. He knew certain authorities were closing in, and it wouldn't be long until his office doors were being kicked in.

That scenario was not bothering him in the slightest. To get to where he was, the bald CEO had committed many deeds those of single-mindedness would call illegal, immoral, or both. Warrants were common; all employees were briefed on how to respond to them. So many investigations from so many agencies had come and gone and LexCorp was still standing.

There was always a way out. You just needed to be resourceful and creative to either find it or make it. In this case, creative was looking to be the way to go.

Luthor had been thinking, pondering about why the robot had been trying to transmit rather than attack. Its capabilities placed in it league with Superman, its weaknesses were unknown, and that meant whatever measures taken to restrain it may have not been enough. Happersen's revelations of the machine's purpose, to scout, was the key here. This robot had come to this planet to gather as much information as it could and return it to its source.

What was the source, though? What was its intentions towards Earth? And could Luthor still find a way to profit from it? There were too many unknowns, and while his pride rankled at the thought, the possibility that he was in over his head could not be ignored.

An unknown threat from the heavens capable enough of handling Metropolis' so-called guardian angel was not to be dismissed. To such a threat, trivial matters like warrants and investigations meant nothing.

Regardless, there was a way to come out on top, or in a better position from where he currently was.

Well, who did one turn to to address threats of a more cosmic origin? The U.S. government? Highly unlikely, a joke with no punchline. The army? An institution bent on rules and structure that could hinder as much as maintain control. No, you needed to go to those so selflessly reckless that charging in headfirst was the first plan of action, and their own innate sense of preservation was nonexistent.

Luthor was not a man who believed in a God, but he knew of gods on this planet who were just as susceptible to manipulation as the ordinary Joe Schmoe.

It had already been proven that a simple man with a plan could get one over Superman; the same concept could be expanded to include the rest of his friends in that Justice League of his. However, he wasn't insane, far from it. To pull off a feat like this would require a lot of moving parts, some of which he was completely unable to see or know of. That made it difficult to predict every outcome or even prepare for each and every one.

A lot of luck would be needed, luck, distrust, and willful blindness. Fortunately, a lot of that was going around lately, and who was to say an upstanding public figure, like himself, couldn't receive some of it?

A sharp beep from the phone on his desk alerted him to an incoming message. A simple press of a button allowed him to speak with his secretary, one that informed him that several dark-colored vans had been seen racing their way down the streets of Metropolis. A quick word of thanks and he ended the call.

Well, right on time. They would be showing up here any minute, and in that case, it would be best to make a personal introduction. Already, various scripts ran through his head of what to say, and already he could figure out what would lead to the best results for him. The fallout would be predictable as well, but it would save him a lot of time and energy to do it this way.

Because then everyone came to him.

* * *

Black surburbans raced through the streets. Weaving through traffic, they flew through intersections, street lights, and nearly ran over pedestrians. Several cars honked at them as they cut them off.

"Is everyone locked and loaded?" a man in black fatigues inquired. Inside one of the trucks was a squad full of similarly dressed men, each one with an assault rifle in hand. Each man was doing last minute checks, ensuring their gear was in order, their guns loaded, and their trigger fingers ready to go.

The lab techs had discovered a broadcasting signal perhaps half an hour ago, less than that actually. That had quickly determined the source to be in Metropolis, so a strike team in the area had been scrambled and they were in route. Fifteen minutes ago, they had been given an address.

Leading this team was Sgt. Dale Gunn. He had formerly worked with the CIA until Director Bordeaux had taken an interest in him and recruited him to A.R.G.U.S. In quick fashion, he had gone from a squad member to squad leader, something he hadn't expected. He had heard all of these speeches, that race wasn't a factor, that everyone was equal, only to be left behind his white peers in promotion.

For once, there was a government agency that did as it preached.

"Target, one minute," Gunn called out, shifting in his seat. There were more sounds of gun checks before it became quiet.

Suddenly, the truck came to a screeching halt, the back end seeming to slide to the left before it came to a stop. The back doors flew open and Gunn and his men poured out.

The sight of Downtown Metropolis greeted them, along with a few more black surburbans skidding to a stop. Traffic came to a stop as cars and honked madly at them, before coming to a stilted halt the moment the armed men appeared. Ignoring them, Gunn ran around the end of the suburban and towards the building they stopped in front of.

LexCorp.

Though Gunn preferred to keep things simple, black and white, that didn't mean he didn't use his brain. That Luthor was somehow involved with the broadcast should not have been a surprise. More times than not, the businessman had a knack for turning up in places you wouldn't think. He had his fingers in so many pies, they might as well roll their eyes and say, "Of course, Luthor," when a connection was made to him. The only people shocked were usually bought politicians that protected his butt at every turn.

Storming up to the front door, Gunn yanked them open, his men pushing through behind him into the building. The lobby was full of businessmen and women, all of whom froze at the sight of them.

The men ignored them, marching towards the elevators. Reaching them, Gunn looked to one of his men, who held a small device in his hand. "Signal's coming from below," he announced.

On cue, there was a _ding!_ and one of the elevators opened up. Immediately, Gunn stepped in and looked at the floor buttons, seeing nothing beyond the first floor. "Secret level," he grunted before stepping out. By then, two of his men had gone to a door marked STAIRWELL. Shoving the door open, they looked into the stairwell before calling out, "No downward stairs!"

So that was the way it was going to be. By then, a staff member of LexCorp had caught up with them. "Hey, who do you think you are and what the hell are you doing?" the man demanded.

Gunn knew this type of person intimately. The guy was a straight up thug through and through and latched onto a bigger thug in Luthor. It gave the semblance of power. The dark-skinned man knew how to deal with these types. Pushing himself through his men, Gunn came right up to the LexCorp employee and demanded, "Take us to the lower floors."

"There aren't any lower floors," the man rebuffed. "Now you're causing a scene. You better leave before Mr. Luthor—"

Gunn shot a hand up and grabbed the man by his throat. Yanking him to a side, he shoved the man up against the closed doors of an elevator. "Now listen to me, punk. We know there are lower levels. We know you know there are. Keep acting like a pissant, and I'll have my men escort you outback and beat you black and blue. Now either give us access, or prepare yourself for a world of hurt."

The man's eyes bulged out at him. Then he reached within a suit pocket and pulled out a card. Gunn snatched it away and looked at it. A keycard, perfect. Shoving the man away, he then went back to the open elevator and looked at the operating panel again. At the bottom was a small slot, one that looked like the keycard fit in.

Bingo.

"Load up," Gunn ordered as he shoved the card into the slot. His men piled into the elevator until no more could fit. The doors soon closed after and the elevator began to descend. It was a short one as the metal cage came to a stop, the doors sliding open. "You, get the others," the sergeant ordered one of his men, handing him the keycard. "The rest, after me."

His team poured out of the elevator and into a hallway, one that stood out in contrast to LexCorp's lobby. They hurried down the corridor, a cacophony of stomping feet, shifting weapons. "Signal dead ahead," his man called out.

As it so happened, there were a set of doors ahead. "We're a go," Gunn said before he reached them, kicking them open.

The next sight to greet them was that of a laboratory. Clearly this was a place of research. There were workers in white lab coats coming to a stop at the sight of the fatigue-dressed men.

Surprisingly, there was one person standing between them and the rest of the lab. "Good morning, gentlemen," Lex Luthor greeted them, not looking the least bit perturbed.

Gunn didn't like that one bit.

Not letting his distrust show, the sergeant stormed up to the businessman, coming to a stop in front of him. "Luthor, you better explain yourself," he said.

"Whatever do you mean?" Luthor replied coolly.

"You have one of the invading robots on premises. We've come to reclaim it and take anyone that gets in our way." Gunn leaned towards the bald man. "That includes you."

"By all means, take the robot. I don't want to cross any authorities when it comes to this."

Something wasn't right about this. Luthor was too relaxed, too helpful.

Glancing over his shoulder, Gunn ordered, "Secure the stolen robot." HIs men immediately jumped into action, passing around him and the businessman as they ventured into the lab.

"Stolen?" Luthor piped up, for once sounding surprised. This caused the dark-skinned man to return his attention to him. "What do you mean stolen?"

"You know exactly what I mean, Luthor," Gunn shot back. "One of the alien robots went missing during transport. We traced its tracking signal right to your doorstep. You'll make things a lot easier on yourself if you admit what you did."

Luthor blinked his eyes owlishly. "I didn't steal this," he protested. "I'll admit, I did want to get my hands on one of them after their sudden appearance, but I did not take it."

"Then how do you explain its presence here?"

"It was given to me."

Given? Yeah, right. "And who would give it to you?" he pressed.

"The Justice League, of course."

It was Gunn's turn to be surprised. The Justice League? They had given the robot to Luthor? Why? It was common knowledge there was no love lost between them and Luthor, especially Superman.

Seeing his confusion, Luthor continued, "You see, my team was working on the breech in our cyber network when the Justice League approached me. They had obtained the remains of one of the robots from one of their fights and asked if I could assist in researching it. I was just as shocked as you are that they would come to me, but seeing the opportunity for what it was—an olive branch to put it—I accepted. The League was working on a couple angles of their own and allowed me to go in different ones."

"What about Superman? It's well known the two of you don't like each other."

"Who do you think it was that gave me the robot? I admit, there is no love lost between us, but that doesn't stop us from recognizing the others' strengths. Superman will do what is necessary to protect this planet, even if he does have to swallow his pride. I have to admit, I was humbled by the gesture."

There was some sense to this, Gunn had to admit. He would need to report this to Bordeaux as soon as he could. "What have you found out about the robot?" he then questioned.

A small smile appeared on the businessman's face. "Let me show you," he murmured.

* * *

Diana had been surprised to receive Steve Trevor's call. He had told her it was urgent that they meet, sooner rather than later. The Amazon had granted his request and was just now arriving at the entrance to A.R.G.U.S.' headquarters.

Astonishingly enough, Steve was standing outside, arms crossed over his chest as he waited for her. Diana couldn't help but wonder what was going on. It had to be important for the blond man to greet her upon arrival. Striding towards him, she asked, "What seems to be the problem?"

Instead of answering her, Steve jerked his head towards the building. "Let's go inside." That was reasonable. They were at a government agency building, so it stood to reason they needed to insure their conversation was private. Following behind the man, they went to the front door and entered, arriving in the lobby.

However, instead of taking Diana to a conference room, or some more private setting, Steve whipped around, his face hard and eyes narrowed. "I know about the robot," he bluntly told her.

The dark-haired woman looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play games, Diana. I'm talking about the one the League took into its custody."

A sinking feeling appeared in her stomach. They knew? How had A.R.G.U.S. found out? They had the robot in the Fortress of Solitude and Watchtower, places no person outside of the League had access too. Yet, here Steve was, telling her that the government knew.

"Steve, I can explain," she began.

"Do you have any idea how this looks?" he cut her off. "We came to you asking for cooperation, but the entire time you were acting dumb and letting us think we were working together. You've been playing us from the start!"

"And you expected the League to just do nothing after the entire world was attacked?" Diana shot back. "That's incredibly naive. If we hadn't had access to the probe, then we would not have made as much progress as we have. Would you have us stand down and do nothing?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'd have you do."

The admission was a slap to Diana's face. Steve Trevor, the first man she had contact with was telling her _not_ to do the right thing? To follow orders? That wasn't the man she had come to know.

"This was a matter for the U.S. government," the blond man continued. "That means it was our jurisdiction, not yours. We told every single one of your League members this."

"And the Justice League is an independent organization," she countered. "Did you make the same demands to the other countries? I bet they didn't accept those orders."

"That isn't the issue. What is is the Justice League's disregard for the United States and its right to protect its own borders."

Diana could feel her ire rising. How dare this man tell her what to do, especially when he was being completely unreasonable. "Then you would prefer the Justice League not help the American people? That we should just let innocent people get hurt because our help is not wanted?"

"That's not what I'm saying," Steve said.

"That's exactly what you're saying. You'd rather those robots infiltrate your cybernetwork rather than the League stop them. How much more damage do you think would have happened if we had? Other countries are reporting worse infiltrations than what happened in Metropolis, or Gateway City. If it weren't for our intervention, you'd have a bigger mess on your hands."

"You've been keeping important information from us!" the blond man shouted. "Information we could use to figure out about these things! That's the problem, Diana!"

Well, she couldn't argue that one, but she wasn't one to back down. "Considering you're telling the League to not do anything, we have no obligation to do as you say."

"Damn it, Diana, you're making this more difficult than it already is." Steve ran a hand through his hair, a poor attempt at calming himself down. "And then you gave the robot to Lex Luthor of all people. Were you having that much trouble researching it?"

_Luthor?_ What was this now? "What are you talking about?"

Steve face hardened, his eyes widening with anger. "Don't play dumb with me, Diana. We know all about Luthor and his research into the robots. He's told us everything."

Diana closed her eyes. Something was up, she just knew it, and Luthor was at the center of it all. It was clear Steve wasn't in the mood to hear this, so it was best if she removed herself from the situation. The League needed to know about this development and she was certain some of her comrades would hardly lose sleep not having cooperation with the A.R.G.U.S.

"I believe we've reached an impasse," the Amazon said after a moment. "And it is clear to me you are not in any frame of mind to hear our side of the story. I will be taking my leave now."

"That isn't the move you want to make," Steve warned her. "Leave now and you'll be convincing everyone that the League isn't to be trusted."

Diana gave him a look. "As opposed to now, where you don't trust us already? Believe this then: the Justice League will do everything in its power to protect this planet, regardless of your complaints. We have always done this and will continue to do so. Contact me when cooler heads prevail. Until then, I bid you farewell."

Without waiting, Diana turned on her heels and left. Something was afoot and the Amazon knew Luthor was at the center of it. The others needed to know and perhaps this situation could be salvaged. A probe had gone missing from A.R.G.U.S. and it seemed that it had reared its head at last. She was willing to bet her tiara that was also Luthor's doing.

And she only made sure bets.

* * *

Author's Note: Because nothing can ever be straightforward when Luthor is involved.


	18. A Metaphor

A Metaphor

"Well that didn't last long."

Flash's words were rather poignant, Diana found. They perfectly summarized the general feeling of the room. After gathering the League following her meeting with Steve Trevor, she had informed them all of the brisk and confrontational conversation.

"I doubt anyone of us will be losing any sleep over this," Shayera added, the Thanagarian lounging in her chair. "Government agencies act like jilted exs when things don't go their way. I'm just surprised it only took this long for them to turn against us."

"There is more," Diana said then. After all, opening with A.R.G.U.S. was really a small footnote in comparison to other information she had. It was best to put it out there and end it quickly. "Luthor has in his possession one of the Brainiac probes."

There was a short silence before Flash asked, "How did old crome dome get his hands on one of those? I thought A.R.G.U.S. picked up all of the probes."

Hawkgirl straightened herself in her seat. "Except the one that Trevor guy said went missing during transport. Do you think it's possible Luthor picked that one up?"

"That's what I was thinking," Diana agreed. She was happy to see her fellow Sister was following her line of logic. It helped that she was a detective by trade, so she could make that leap quicker than most. At that thought of detective though, the Amazon couldn't help but glance to the other two investigators in the room.

J'onn was looking impassive, which was his usual state. He must have come to the same conclusion and had not said anything. As for Batman, he was just as stoic as the Martian. If either one of them agreed with the idea, then the dark-haired woman knew they were on the right track.

Thankfully, it was the more experienced of the two that spoke up, lending credence to the spoken theory. "Luthor has the ability and means to pry one of those probes out of the government's hands," Batman stated. "Not to mention the determination to do so. How did you find out he has one?"

"Because Steve Trevor told me," she told him. "Apparently Luthor claimed the League gave him the probe for further study."

"We _what?!_" Flash exclaimed, nearly hopping out of his seat. "You've got to be kidding me? How could anyone believe we'd work with a pain in the ass like Luthor? I mean, it's known that he's tried to kill Big Blue multiple times!"

"Accused, but never convicted," Batman pointed out. "And it seems to me A.R.G.U.S. was just looking for an excuse to have whatever working relationship with the League to break down. Imagine if it comes out that the Justice League turned to a private corporation for assistance on an investigation rather than the government? That's a smear campaign waiting to happen."

"This is very troubling," J'onn spoke, entering the conversation for the first time. "Assuming it is true that Luthor stole the probe, what purpose would he have in blaming us?"

"Aside from putting the blame on us for why there's a missing probe?" Shayera rhetorically asked. "It also puts a strain between the League and the U.S. government. It's happening already. That bald jackass is just using this to make our jobs harder."

"Well, you know what I say?" Flash said, an angry tone in his voice. "I say we make a trip to Luthor's and take that robot back. If he says we gave it to him, then it's perfectly reasonable for us to take it."

"That's not a half-bad idea," Shayera agreed. "Luthor's given us the perfect way to take the probe back."

"You can't really believe he'll hand it over," Batman was quick to point out. "Luthor didn't get to where he is by luck. No doubt he'll spin the narrative; in fact, I'm sure he already has one ready. It wouldn't be a good idea to go confront him."

"But we can't leave Brainiac in his hands," Hawkgirl shot back. "There's no telling what he could do with that thing. No doubt he'd try to make some weapon to kill Superman with."

"No doubt about that," Flash muttered his agreement.

"All I'm saying is that we shouldn't go charging in without a plan. We need to expect that he'll resist any attempt at losing the probe. Any agreeable stance he takes should be taken with a grain of salt. If he's willing to give up the probe, that just means he's learned everything he can about it and had no further use for it. He could then say he returned the probe to us if A.R.G.U.S. decides to confiscate it, which will only lead to further strain between us and the government."

"Batman makes an excellent point," J'onn said.

"So what, we should just leave it in Luthor's hands?" Shayera demanded.

"No way, not gonna happen," Flash added.

Suddenly, Diana found herself at the center of attention in the room as the four heroes turned their collective attention towards her. It wasn't said, but it was clear that she was the tie-breaking vote: to take the Brainiac probe from Luthor, or take a different approach. Glancing from each side to the other, the Amazon knew each faction had valid points.

However, only one had an immediate outcome that resolved the situation.

* * *

Metropolis was a beautiful city. It was the pride of the eastern seaboard, often upheld as the "City of Tomorrow." It fully embraced the idea of forward progress, constantly improving itself rather than holding onto its past, one that had long since been forgotten.

And at the center of this city was one of its tallest buildings, the headquarters of LexCorp. The large, L-shaped logo blazed out from near the top of the skyscraper, announcing to all just who owned this building.

Today, that only made for a large bull's eye. As a blur of red and blue, Diana flew like a missile, fist stretched out in front of her. She didn't slow down, even as she slammed right into the building's wall, ripping through it like tissue paper.

Debris was sent flying throughout the office as the Amazon came to a landing on plush carpet. Behind her, J'onn and Sheyara landed, having allowed her to be their battering ram. An instant later, Flash appeared, having run up the side of the building and into the hole she had made.

Turning, the dark-haired woman found what she was after. Seated behind a large desk was Luthor, who was looking at her startled before he returned her hardened stare with one of indifference. "We need to talk, Luthor," the Amazon spoke coldly.

"I do have a door," the bald man replied as he pressed his hands onto the top of the desk and pushed himself onto his feet. "To what do I owe this unexpected surprise from the famous Justice League?"

"Cut the crap," Shayera said as she moved up next to Diana, taking center stage. "You know exactly why we're here. Hand over the robot."

"I see A.R.G.U.S. has ratted me out," Luthor surmised blandly.

"C'mon, you knew you were on a ticking clock the moment you told them we gave it to you," the Thanagarian retorted. "You only said it to take the heat off of you."

"Now don't be absurd. You aren't the only ones that have a vested interest in making sure the world is safe. Who would I do business with if the world is nothing more than a burning wasteland?"

"I'm sure you'd find someone," Flash interjected.

That was when the doors to the office were flung open. Looking over her shoulder, Diana saw a woman with a machine gun come flying in, taking aim at the heroes. She was the one that was always at Luthor's side, Mercy, she believed she was called.

"Mr. Luthor, are you alright?" Mercy asked, never once tearing her eyes from the Justice League.

"Right on time, Mercy," Luthor returned, not the least bit ruffled. "The Justice League was just leaving. Do be a dear and escort them off the premises."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

If either of these two thought a machine gun was going to frightened them, then they were sorely mistaken. Guns were an everyday annoyance to an Amazon, the Fastest Man Alive, and a Martian. They were not going to leave this building empty handed.

"That's enough posturing."

The deep, gravelly voice caught everyone off-guard, including Luthor. Looking back towards the billionaire, Diana soon found her eyes going to the left to a dark corner, where Batman seemed to materialize out of thin air. Even thought she had seen him do it plenty of times, she had no idea how he got into the office, especially with all of the people present, not to mention the lack of a visible ventilation system.

Luthor for once seemed taken aback as he whipped his head around and found the vigilante standing a short distance away from him. He even began to sputter before he quickly calmed himself again.

By then Batman strode towards him until he came to a stop next to the businessman. Abruptly, he shot a hand out and grabbed Luthor by his shirt, yanking him towards him. "Take us to the robot now."

"Bullying doesn't work on me," Luthor spat back, clearly not enjoying the proximity to the dark-clad man. "And the situation hasn't changed."

Batman didn't seem perturbed by that. "If you're referring to your bodyguard, you better reevaluate that. Take away the Justice League—where most of the members aren't even afraid of guns—I rather doubt your bodyguard is going to open fire with you in her crosshairs."

That was when Diana realized that Batman had made sure to put Luthor between him and Mercy, an unexpected human shield. It seemed Luthor realized this as well as his body stiffened. A moment later and he held a hand up, making a gesture with it. In response, Mercy lowered her weapon, thought she seemed reluctant to do so.

"You just want the robot, right?" Luthor spoke bluntly. Upon seeing Batman's nod, Luthor jerked himself backwards, pulling himself out of the Caped Crusader's grasp. Straightening out his shirt, he then said, "Very well, I'll take you there myself. Mercy?"

Mercy didn't respond this time, instead turning around and walking out of the office. Luthor followed her, the Justice League tailing him as they all left the room. They were led to a set of elevators, one of which was opening. Without a word, all seven of them entered the elevator, the doors closing soon after.

"Forgive me for not giving you the grand tour," Luthor spoke as they began their descent. "Business is money after all. I'll show you right to the robot. It's being kept at the other end of the lab. We've made a few...discoveries with it."

"Really? Like what?" Flash couldn't help but ask.

Luthor went silent at that, waiting until the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened. He then led the group out, entering the large laboratory. All around them, researchers in white coats worked on various projects, though that came to a stop as the people began gawking at the heroes. "I'm certain you've done your own research into the robot. You've run into the robot's coded software, yes?"

"We have," J'onn answered briefly.

"Have you had any luck deciphering it?"

"Some."

Luthor didn't seem perturbed by the short responses. "My team has managed to translate the alien code into binary. We're just about done with the translation and soon we'll even know the operating systems."

Diana couldn't help but glance to Batman and J'onn, neither of whom looked concerned. Their poker faces were impeccable. Still, she couldn't help worrying over the thought of Luthor having such programming at his fingertips.

Suddenly, Flash bolted to a wall; make that, a large glass window. "Whoa," the red-clad man gasped.

Looking to the window, Diana soon saw what had captivated the man. An aircraft roughly the size of the Javelin was on the other side. Though whereas the Javelin had smoother curves, this aircraft had hard edges, giving it a more angular look. There was also the presence of visible weapons present.

Luthor suddenly made a beeline right for Flash, coming to stand next to him. "Truly a magnificent piece," he remarked, admiring the craft much like the speedster. "It's only a prototype, but it holds promise."

"Where do I get me one of those?" Flash asked out loud.

"If you're a good boy, maybe Santa will bring it to you." Incredulously, Flash looked at Luthor, but the man had turned and returned to the rest of the League. "As I was saying, the binary translation has advanced our project considerably."

"What else have you discovered?" J'onn questioned.

For a brief moment, there was a look of frustration on the man's face, one he hid in the next instant. "Not much, I'm afraid. This robot is the most advanced thing I've ever seen. We are close on creating a hacking program for it."

There was movement out of the corner of Diana's eye, one she realized came from Batman. The vigilante seemed to perk up at that discovery. "You believe you can hack into the robot's operating system?" J'onn asked, seeming to voice the dark-clad man's thoughts. Perhaps he was.

"Anything can be hacked, given enough persistence, determination, and skill," Luthor boasted. By then, they had reached the other side of the lab. They stood in front of a door with a pad, the imprint of a hand on it. Luthor calmly placed his hand on the pad and a green light shone, moving from the top of the pad to the bottom. Then there was a beep and the door began to slide open.

They were greeted with the sight of an empty room. For a moment, Diana was puzzled by this. That was until she heard Shayera growl, "What the hell is this?"

"This is a perfect metaphor," Luthor responded. "For what I intend to give you."

Nothing. He was giving them nothing. Diana couldn't help tightening her hands into fists. Why that arrogant, chauvinistic—

"So you took us all the way here to show us that?" Flash asked incredulously. "What the hell, man?"

"Oh, there were a couple other reasons," the businessman shrugged. "I will admit wasting your time is an added perk. The other was to show you that the robot is no longer here. You can search it all you want, but you'll find nothing."

"You wanna bet?" Flash shot back snidely.

"If this is the extent of your cooperation, then so be it," J'onn suddenly interjected, surprising the group. "We will take our leave."

"What? But we're here for the robot, J'onn," Shayera protested. "And we aren't leaving empty-handed!"

The Martian ignored her, instead heading back towards the elevator, Batman in lockstep with him. Diana looked to Flash and Shayera before the three of them went after them, leaving Luthor and Mercy behind. The Amazon didn't bother to chance a look at the two, knowing the insufferable smirks that would be on their faces.

They didn't really catch up with the two men until they arrived at the elevator. Not a word was spoken until the doors shut and they began their ascent. "What the hell, J'onn," the Thanagarian snapped. "Seriously, what the hell?"

"It was obvious Luthor was toying with us," the Martian explained. "This was merely a way for him to get out of the trap Batman had placed him in in his office."

"So what now? We don't have the robot and we sure as hell can't leave it here."

"And it won't. We'll be...outsourcing the extraction."

There was a slight glance from J'onn, but Diana caught it. Following the look, she found it was directed at Batman, and suddenly she understood. It seemed their colleague was going to make a return trip to LexCorp.

And suddenly she felt better about their leaving.

* * *

It wasn't often that Luthor would even use the word "giddy" to describe himself. The recent interaction and confrontation with the Justice League, however, left only that word as a description for how he felt.

Honestly, it was too easy.

"Happersen wanted me to tell you that they're finished with the relocation. Progress is resuming," Mercy told him as they returned to his office, the same one with a noticeable hole in it.

"Everything remains strictly on a need to know basis," the tycoon responded as he reached his desk, reactivating a computer on it. A swift tapping of a password and he was in. "In the meantime, I want crews in here repairing the damage. I also want legal on this; the bill goes to the Justice League for its needless destruction of my property."

"Understood," Mercy replied, nodding her head, her posture as stiff as always.

A few more taps brought up several windows on the monitor. One of the windows ended up filling the whole screen, but it was one that Luthor wanted. It was security feed, specifically the footage of the Justice League's little invasion. From the first second of their arrival to the last where they departed, this little gem was going to be working overtime.

All that needed to be done was to shave off a few seconds here and there and make sure that hole wasn't so prominent in the shots. The bullshit story he had fed A.R.G.U.S. would need to continue, and playing off the League with that agency was going to be quite entertaining. In a way, he was almost disappointed that a certain blue and red menace wasn't there.

Hmm, from this angle, it appeared as if the League was more stressed than hostile. Definitely this angle would be used…

As a gust of wind entered his office, the cool air brushing against his skin, Luthor found that he needed to add something. "Until renovations are complete, I'll need to relocate too. Perhaps to a sub-basement where I can keep a closer eye on Happersen and the robot."

"What about meetings and other business?" his bodyguard inquired and the woman looked like she wanted to raise an eyebrow at him. Her control over her emotions were outstanding enough that Mercy continued to remain stoic and professional.

"Conference rooms will do. We'll use the need for renovation as our reason," the CEO dismissed. Now he was keeping a keen eye on the brief tour of his top floor up and to the elevators. Yes, there did not seem to be too much animosity, especially if he used an angle from behind.

Then there was the elevator. In there was audio which is why he had said what he had said. Remove a few seconds, as well as some words, and then you had an even better version of actual events. Yes, it had been a slip-up, but the bald man had recovered quickly enough to intentionally say the rest.

Of course, the short aside with the Flash enamored of his prototype had to be kept. While there was no official name for it, that craft was meant to be a LexCorp version of the Justice League's Javelin air and spacecraft. Naturally, Luthor had to add his own touches to it. There was some leaning towards calling it a Lance, or perhaps something more fanciful like Starkiller or Justice Buster.

Names would be pending until he was ready to begin marketing it to his military contact.

In the end, what mattered was that he made material to not only buy more time, but also keep two potential allies from becoming just that. As if Luthor would allow anything the Boy Scout had touched to ever blossom. Keep the League isolated and perched on a pedestal long enough, and eventually someone would come along to knock it down.

Personally, Luthor would have preferred to take that role himself, but as an upstanding citizen of Metropolis, a certain image would need to be maintained. There would always be those who begrudge him, or knew the truth, but a pristine public image only marred by an occasional scandal or two was a necessity if he wanted to remain successful.

Showing the Justice League up today was an unexpected but enjoyable surprise. There was still more in store, and that would come in all due time.

In the meantime, they would need to speed up progress on the robot. Happersen was making great progress, but it would need to end sooner rather than later. To take their time was to tempt fate, and Luthor knew better than to do that.

This was his key to getting one over that so-called angel from the heavens, and he was not going to give it up without a long, drawn out fight.

* * *

Sore was not the right word for how the Kryptonian felt. Sore was an understatement. Pain throbbed throughout his body, and weakness kept it still.

No, no not weakness. Superman attempted to turn—in what direction, probably his right side—but found something solid holding onto him. His legs were held still, his waist could barely turn, his chest and arms met up against an unyielding force that curved around his torso and pressed against his back. His neck seemed to have some space, but again something was right up against it.

That left the awakening Kryptonian to open his eyes, the only thing that felt air against them. A part of him was wondering what weapon Luthor had hit him with this time. Another part debated on what monster or alien creature decided to use him as a punching bag. His blurred vision took time to make out what was directly in front of him, and so far it seemed those mentioned parts of him might be wrong.

He was...he was in a large chamber, pinpricks of red light directed right at him, and he was encased in this...thing. Then it all came back in a flash, no pun intended towards his speedster of a teammate.

Without the full support of the League, he had gone up into space and tracked down Brainiac, some strange alien cyborg and not an AI program. The thing restraining him had been what he initially found the green-skinned alien in,

And he had gotten out of it at some point. That meant the Kryptonian could too...if he could figure out how the thing worked. It was so confining that even when in a room as large as this, it felt claustrophobic No matter what struggles he did, there wasn't even an...even a...a millimeter of room to work with. Even going as far as to exert pressure with his fingertips on whatever surface he could feel accomplished nothing.

"You have returned to consciousness earlier than estimated. The timing is irrelevant, but will be recorded nonetheless." Heavy footsteps accompanied the deep voice, and Superman strained to try and spot its source.

Brainiac made it easier for him by walking into view. The alien had undergone a wardrobe change, no longer revealing a black and white and pink-glowing body suit, his captor bore something more sleek, metallic in appearance with definitions of metal plates resembling various muscle groups. It was like looking at a space-age suit of armor, one with various, circular designs that continued to glow that pink color.

Cables still descended down and connected to the ports in the large alien's head. It was a very uneasy thing to see, especially after suddenly recalling what everything looked like under the skin. Why Brainiac still kept them connected remained to be seen.

Superman must have been staring, because the armored alien stated, "This is nothing more than a mobile bio-shell. It is not as efficient as the one you are currently in, but it will maintain the stasis of my body until I am finished with you."

"What…" The Kryptonian's voice came out raspy, and he paused as he swallowed, his dry mouth and throat discomforting. It took a few seconds to get his saliva glands working, but even then he was still hoarse. "What do you plan to do?"

"Ultimately, to learn everything there is to know about you, Kal-El." Brainiac paced around the captured Man of Steel before coming to a stop directly in front of the dark-haired man. "Much time and energy will be required for that, formulating hypotheses and preparing tests require effort before they can be administered. In the meantime, I will deal with the contamination your presence has spread."

There it was again, the word "contamination." It was as if Brainiac saw him as some kind of bug or disease that spread about, infecting whatever he touched.

"You keep saying that…" His hoarse tone came out more like a growl, but it accurately conveyed what he was feeling.

"My knowledge is not to be shared. I am the foremost expert on Krypton and there will be no other," Brainiac answered, his green eyes boring holes in the Kryptonian. "Anyone else who possesses such information will not be allowed to exist freely, unless they are part of a sample I have taken and no other way is permissible."

There was a feeling in the man raised in Kansas' gut; it told him he wasn't going to like where this was going.

"The planet you have adopted as home is completely contaminated," Brainiac continued, turning away from the bound Kryptonian. "I cannot allow it to know more than I about any given subject. That includes you, Son of Jor-El. It is very fortunate that I have been able to trace Earth's current whereabouts. I will complete two objectives, the first being the collection of human society and culture, and the second to eliminate the knowledge of you. Due to the acquisition of your personal ship, once I am finished with Earth, I will venture to any and all other worlds you have contaminated and continue the process until I am the sole possessor of all Kryptonian knowledge once more."

His gut had been right, he hadn't liked where this was going.

"You're going to be attacking Earth," Superman accused, attempting to fight against the confines of the bio-shell he was trapped in and failing once more.

"I am," Brainiac all but confirmed. Before the green-skinned alien, a holographic screen material, flashing into existence. The image it held was that of a small planet, one that grew by the second. As more and more details made themselves known, the Kryptonian could only widen his eyes.

That was an image of Earth, and it was growing bigger...because they were getting closer to it.

"Don't…" Superman gasped out. "Please...leave Earth alone. I'll...I'll give you what you want. I'll tell you everything you want to know. Just leave Earth alone."

"Your attachment to this planet reveals much," Brainiac remarked. "However, save your pleas. Earth's fate was decided long before you were ever born. It was only a matter of time before I found it, your contamination notwithstanding. All you have accomplished was speeding up the timing of its collection.

"Watch, Kal-El. I will give you a gift, one for saving me the time and effort of tracking you down. You will witness how I operate, you will watch as I take my sample, and then you will observe as I bring about Earth's final moments. When I am finished, then I will begin with you. I will learn everything there is to know about you, about the secrets of Kryptonians that until now I have been ignorant to.

"Thus I offer my gratitude for the experience. When I am finished, the knowledge I will have gained will be priceless, and will be incorporated into myself. Do not fear, Son of Jor-El, both you and your adoptive world will continue to live..."

There was a pause, deliberate and it sucked Superman further into the moment. Nothing else seemed to matter, not even the visual of the approach planet. It would only end once Brainiac finished his sentence, and the suspense indeed would soon end.

It would end with two ominous words.

"...in me."


	19. The Third Incursion

The Third Incursion

Since the impromptu meeting with Luthor, J'onn had sojourn himself to the Watchtower. They had gleaned just about as much intelligence on the Brainiac probe, Luthor's binary code discovery notwithstanding. It had been some time since the first probe attack and the Martian felt a second wave was imminent.

One of the main purposes of the Watchtower was to monitor the planet of which it orbited. A second purpose was to act as an early detection center for space incursions. The latter was something the Justice League had been paying scant attention to lately and he was determined to rectify that.

Days later and there was not so much as a blip on the radar.

Batman, Flash, and Wonder Woman were all planetside, fulfilling their own obligations. That left the Martian with Hawkgirl for company, the Thanagarian having retreated to the commissary for nourishment. That left him the sole occupant of the Monitor Room, watching the large computer screen as various programs ran.

J'onn couldn't help it. He felt...how did the Earthlings call it? Jittery? Yes, jittery. There was an unease that ran through him, making him excitable. This must have been what the calm before the storm felt like. A long, deep breath just before chaos descended and devastated everything. The absence of activity on the Watchtower sensors only fed into the paranoia.

The doors to the Monitor Room slid open and Hawkgirl entered the room. "Anything new, J'onn?" she called out as she sauntered towards him.

"Nothing as of yet," the green-skinned man intoned.

The Thanagarian came to stand next to him, looking at the monitor. Then out of the corner of his eye, J'onn saw the red-haired woman glance at him. It was quick, perhaps a second or so. "You feel it too, don't you?"

J'onn turned his head to gaze at the shorter woman. "Feel what?"

"The static in the air. The hairs on the back of your neck sticking up. This sense of impending doom."

"Martians do not have hair on their necks."

Hawkgirl rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, J'onn. Something's coming, we just don't know what yet."

"Indeed." J'onn found himself nodding his agreement despite his vocalization of it. "I thought it was just me."

"Believe me, J'onn, it isn't—"

Suddenly, an alarm went off, the computer screen before the two heroes turning red. Immediately, J'onn was at the keyboard, his fingers typing as fast as he could make them go. A window appeared, divided into four smaller screens. Each was of a sensor camera on the exterior of the Watchtower. With a jab of a key, he began to cycle through them all, searching for sensor that caused the alert.

All the while, Hawkgirl did not say anything. She merely leaned towards the screen, eyes staring intently at the images that flashed before her.

The Martain stopped at one view, a small rock coming into view on the screen and vanishing just as quickly. Another window opened up, following after it until it met with the atmosphere and began to burn up in it immediately. There was no cause for alarm, just a typical occurrence in space. The instruments on the Watchtower were quite sensitive.

J'onn was almost willing to breathe out a sigh of relief. The stress of the past few days had begun to take its toll on him, it seemed. That a false alarm could-

"There!" the Thanagarian suddenly announced pointing a finger at one of the windows. Immediately, J'onn enlarged the image, which overtook the other three to fill the entire window. The image was of space, the sensor on the outer side of the station. At first, J'onn did not see what Hawkgirl had, so he began zoomed out into the dark void.

Once, twice, three times he zoomed without picking out anything. Hawkgirl growled next to him, informing him that she indeed see something. Perhaps it was her sharpened eyesight that allowed her such an ability. But then, he noticed movement. It was fast, a flicker of light, and then it was gone.

Suddenly, Hawkgirl took off, racing out of the room. Unsure of what she was doing, J'onn gave chase, taking to flight as he followed the Thanagarian. Darting through hallways, eventually they came to the observation deck, the two heroes landing on the floor.

They were just in time too. What the cameras failed to show to J'onn, he could clearly see now. There was an object approaching the Watchtower. With every passing second, it seemed to grow bigger and bigger until the Martian could discern characteristics of the unknown object. It was large, far larger than any Earth vessel he was familiar with. And there were features as well. If J'onn wasn't mistaken, it looked like a flying skull.

Suddenly, he knew why he hadn't been able to see this flying skull on the camera. The color of it was perfectly blended to the surrounding void of space. He hadn't been able to discern it from its surroundings. Hawkgirl had, however, her keener sense of sight detecting the slightly different shades or hues.

However, as time passed, J'onn came to realize just how large this skull was. In grew and grew and grew until it was clearly larger than the Watchtower. For a moment, the Martian thought it was heading right for the space station, but then he watched as if flew right passed it, heading for Earth.

Immediately, he was in the air, racing back to the Monitor Room. Becoming intangible, he flew through the walls until he reached the room, setting down right before the computer itself. Hitting a button, he opened all communication lines for the Justice League. "Attention all Justice League members, a ship was just seen entering Earth's atmosphere. Its destination is unknown. All League members are to track this object and discover its objective."

Shutting down the line, J'onn then began preparing the teleporter for the station. He and Hawkgirl were going to need to be planetside sooner rather than later.

It seemed the storm's calm had finally crashed.

* * *

The call had come moments before. Something big, something large was entering the Earth's atmosphere.

The worst case scenario had to be assumed until proven otherwise. As Batman finished donning his suit, he marched up to the Cave's supercomputer, tapping a few keys. He needed to link up with the orbiting satellites and see if he could track this thing, if not get a good look at it. While it was likely everyone on the planet was going to notice this at some point, he wanted to know before everyone else just what they were up against.

The satellite link-up occurred almost instantaneously and a couple windows appeared on screen. One window was of a digital map of Earth, a red dot flashing over and over on it. A white line with yellow triangles placed at even intervals along it trailed behind the dot, indicate which direction it was going.

On the other window was of a live feed. There wasn't much other than an unknown object much larger that Batman had ever expected, and it was beginning to be engulfed by flames, a result of a massive amount of friction against the planet's atmosphere.

He was going to need a lot of missiles to shoot that thing down.

With both hands now, he began typing on the keyboard, bringing up schematics of his flying wing. A quick diagnostic and briefing on its arsenal was needed and he wanted to know everything he was equipped for.

Suddenly, there was a presence at his side. The vigilante didn't even bother looking over his shoulder-he already knew who was there. Cassandra had seen him begin his preparations and had joined him; clearly she was done donning her own armor.

"This is it, isn't it," she said after awhile.

"I believe so," Batman replied to her. Finally, he glanced towards her. "If I asked you to stay in the Cave, would you listen?"

The younger girl shook her head.

"I thought as much."

"Where do you plan to be?" she then asked him.

"Wherever that thing ends up," he told her, returning his attention to the computer screen. "Be safe in Gotham. Coordinate with the others and do what you have to do to make it out alive, you understand me?"

"I do."

At least she was listening to that. Now—

Suddenly, the computer screen flashed, causing the Dark Knight to pause in what he was doing. Frowning, he stared at the screen until it flashed at him again, only this time it looked as if the images on the screen moved as well. What had previously been at the bottom of the screen was now at the top, looking much like a roll of film where the last part of the previous image and the beginning of the new one were trying to share the view. Slowly, the top scrolled upward, only to reappear back at the bottom the monitor, the rest of the images moving upwards as well.

This had never happened before.

Suddenly, static took over. It was then quickly replaced with all sorts of maps, pictures, images, layouts. Red, yellow, green, and purple flashed over and over, the computer speakers alternating between deep bellows and shrill crackles.

And then an otherworldly, ghastly voice came over. _"THIS IS YOUR DOOM."_

It was something right out of a horror movie, or even one of those paranormal investigation shows, where investigators pick up inhuman screams and voices. However, Batman's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. Something was successfully hacking into the super computer and was cycling through all of its databases.

Immediately, he was frantically typing on his keyboard. With every keystroke, a shrill sound blared out of the computer speakers, indicating that it was not working. Of course, the source of the hack had to tell him as much.

"_YOU CANNOT FIGHT THIS."_

Bearing his teeth, Batman pressed on, only to have everything he tried fail. Fighting the hack wasn't working; trying to track the hack to its source had failed. Whomever was behind this, they knew what they were doing. They had found his network's entry point into the world wide web and bypassed all of its countermeasures and hidden ghost networks.

That only left one option.

As much as he hated to do this, there wasn't any other choice. Rushing around the computer, he moved behind it, quickly locating the large cables and cords that connected the super computer to its power source and network connections. Each was coated in a protective tube to ensure corrosion and external damage was prevented.

How he wished they weren't.

Moving up to the ports in which the cables were connected, Batman pushed down on the clasps and then pulled them back. This as hard as he could, he pulled on it, gritting his teeth as he grunted from the effort. There was a squeal of protest even as he began to twist and turn back and forth until the cable finally pulled out of its socket.

Alright, one down. Only five more to go.

Suddenly, the end of a bat-shaped shuriken stabbed right beneath the metal port cap and the flexible cable sheath. Sparks blasted out, nearly making the dark-clad man jump away so as not to be bathed in them. A pair of small hands grabbed onto the other end of the shuriken and began digging it deeper into the cable.

Batman's first instinct was to snap at Batgirl for her impulsive action, severing the wires within when prying them out of the mainframe at least left them still useful. However, that had taken quite a bit of exertion and she didn't have his strength. Time was of the essence as well.

Batgirl had moved onto another wire, having pulled her shuriken out of the first damaged cable and was burying it into the one below. More sparks shot out. It was hard to argue with that kind of result.

Pulling out one of his own bat-shaped shuriken, he then followed his daughter's example and began piercing the next cable just between the sheath and its metal cap. This time he was washed with the spray of sparks as wires were sliced and reacted to the metal projectile. Soon, all of the cables were effectively severed and damaged.

Moving away from them, Batman quickly made his way around the mainframe and was satisfied at the blank screen he saw, along with the lights from the computer station being off. That was one less concern.

Unfortunately, that meant he was without the use of the super computer for the upcoming battle. That wasn't a good thing. There were too many unknowns about this potential enemy and he was not a man to handicap himself.

So if intelligence was denied to him, what did that leave?

Seeing Batgirl emerge from behind the computer as well, he suddenly felt the urge to be secretive. It was his fallback when he was uncomfortable. A hack into his base was just the thing to make him feel that emotion. There was no telling what had been accessed in its brief time.

Yet, there was something that not even the computer would know of and that would serve to be his trump card. As his daughter came to stand next to him, she asked, "What now?"

Immediately, Batman pivoted on his heels and began walking towards a dark corner of the cave. "You come with me," he said without so much as looking at her. "There's something I need to show you and it may be your only refuge if things go horribly wrong."

He didn't hear Batgirl follow him, but he did feel her presence. "What is it?"

"A little place off the grid with the very weapons you'll need," he told her. "And a suit I'm very much going to be needing now."

* * *

Steve was listless. Beneath the surface was nothing but turmoil, the memories of his last meeting with Diana on replay and fueling his disgruntlement.

Over the years, the two of them had been growing distant with one another, and it was something he had disliked the minute he recognized it. This distance, once he had given some thought to it, had started around the time the Amazonian princess had signed up to be a member of the Justice League, her crusade for justice taking her more and more out of Gateway and putting it on a global scale.

Knowing Diana, it wasn't intentional that she left him behind; she could be a single-minded woman at times because she knew what she wanted and was going to make it so even if it meant stabbing a god in the eye.

That was a true story right there. The blond-haired man had been there to see it.

Despite the blood, that had been a nice memory, but it had in no way prepared him for the possibility that the dark-haired Amazon would ever consider an alliance or whatever it was with Lex freaking Luthor. It was an open secret what kind of a man that bald psychopath was, but when you had a bunch of politicians and philanthropists singing your praises, it made the detractors harder and harder to be heard. Had to give it to that Fortune 500 bastard, he knew how to play the public relations game.

He had so badly wanted to believe that there was no way the Justice League would have anything to do with LexCorp. Superman was one of their founding members for Christ's sake! What were they thinking and—

A dull-sounding alarm cut through his thoughts and instantly he was on alert. It was a sound he had only heard once, and it had come with a disclaimer that it was a test. You would expect it to be sharp, but it was designed to put you into a state of alarm without needing to put your hands over your ears.

In less than a second, A.R.G.U.S was nothing but activity.

"Bring up visuals! What are we looking at?" one voice called out. On the far side of the room where nothing but multiple monitors were placed, various satellite images of space appeared but nothing but stars could be seen.

"Sensors are picking up something in the atmosphere!" a feminine voice shouted through the din of activity. "It's not breaking up!"

"Is it another Goddamn meteor?" someone else roared.

"Don't meteors break up in the atmosphere?"

"Get a visual on the object, and do it five minutes ago!" Okay, that had been Waller and no one went up against an order from the Wall herself.

Multiple images flashed over the monitors, rapidly switching from angles trying to locate whatever they were trying to find. For a government agency with the kind of technology they had backing it up, you would think it would be much faster to get a visual…

Then the image of something falling, leaving a trail of flames in its wake appeared, and Steve immediately ordered them to stop the search. It had taken too much time to get a satellite in the right position to get this sight, but at least they had done it.

Immediately, Steve didn't like what he was looking at. There was no way that could be a large space rock. Sure, he wasn't the biggest expert on the subject, but rocks and heat had this way about them.

Metal and heat had their own as well.

"Looks like we have another incursion," he announced. "Keep track of where that thing is going and alert everyone we've got. Announce a Def Con One while you're at it. We have no idea what to expect from this thing, so let's assume the worst until proven otherwise."

If everyone was active before, they were more so now. This was it, not some drill. Every satellite they could access, and the ones no one were supposed to know about, were being Shanghaied into keeping track of the unidentified flying object, one that was being labeled as hostile pending further confirmation.

In the meantime, Steve was setting off to get the next phase of this process complete. This part included preparing and sending out a welcoming committee of sorts, one to join up with other military branches. Their country would not have the same response it had during the Kalanorian invasion.

He'd make sure of this personally.

* * *

As renovations in his office began, Luthor had settled himself in a new space, one several feet underground and closer to his pet project. No more elevator rides that would waste precious minutes. Time was being crunched as it was.

That meant a few meetings needed to be moved around or flat out rescheduled, some pending decisions about various deals and ventures would be signed off on or refused, and other day-to-day operations delegated so that he could focus more of his time on this.

A.R.G.U.S. and the Justice League had come calling, only one of which had been anticipated. The only thing that was certain is that neither were going to allow him to hold on to the robot for much longer. That just wouldn't do; Luthor was not about to give this up. Not yet.

Time, that's what he needed more of, and if that wasn't possible…

Well, there was more to the CEO than a man of business. A past time, and one he had profited off of many a time was his prowess in technology. Luthor understood tech in ways many of his contemporaries didn't. If you weren't keeping up, you were falling behind, and if you were keeping up, that meant you weren't leading. LexCorp was a leader and a revolutionary in technology. Other "rivals," if you could call them that, were not in his league.

All this led the tycoon to conclude that his personal touch was going to be needed. If nothing else, it would speed up progress now that the facade of normal, everyday activity had been lifted. With his mind, any other secrets kept within that robot would soon be discovered.

Then he entered the new labs that were his prize's new home.

His prize was nowhere to be found.

His staff was in disarray, hurrying about with all the success of a chicken with its head cut off. Happersen was demanding answers, and he wanted them now before the big man himself found about this and _find that goddamn robot already_!

It was too late for one of those demands.

"Happersen!" he roared, charging towards his lead researcher. "Explain. Now. Where is my robot?"

Like a deer in the headlights, the lead researcher froze up before slowly turning to face him. "M-Mr. Luthor! I—!

"Where. Is. My. Robot?" the bald tycoon snarled as he marched his way to the other man. "Talk to me. Now."

"I… Mr. Luthor. I don't know how to explain this!" Happersen stammered, further testing Luthor's patience. "It was here this morning, I swear to you! Then, then, I can't explain it! Someone noticed it was gone, and, and…" The researcher gestured helplessly about the lab.

Luthor took a deep, calming breath. Then two. "Do explain to me how a marvel of advanced technological make can disappear in a room full of people where it is under constant surveillance...and no one noticed it being taken?"

Like an idiot, Happersen was opening and closing his mouth, trying to find something to say, anything he could say, but was already losing the businessman's interest. Fortunately, one of the technicians thought now was a good time to approach the pair, Luthor still fuming and ready to lash out at the first person to attract his attention.

"Mr. Luthor? I found this."

Away from Happersen, his green-eyed gaze tore from and settled on the technician. The man that had dared to approach held in his hand a small card, one white in color. Snatching it, the bald CEO ran his eyes over it, finding nothing of note until he turned it over.

Staring right back at him was a stylized symbol of a bat.

More precisely, it was the same symbol he had seen on the chest of a lunatic in a Halloween costume very recently.

...how?

How. How had a man, one reputed to make his own turf in Gotham come all the way to a section of his headquarters, one that wasn't on any city map, and kept deliberately that way, and spirit off the prize of the millennium?

For once, Luthor found himself unable to respond in any meaningful way.

It was often said by the superstitious that when it rained, it poured. A small alarm went off, interrupting Luthor's processing of the events occurring in front of him. As if a small part of him wanted the distraction, he gave into it, looking away from the taunting card and towards a large terminal filled with various monitors, keyboards, and buttons. It lined a wall and several technicians were at their stations, quickly getting to work as if their lives depended on it.

In some ways, they weren't wrong.

"What was that?" the CEO growled, his hand clenching closed and crumpling the card it still held.

"An alert or a notification," Happersen answered almost in a trance, though the man's body was acting for him, moving him away from the fuming tycoon. The researcher hurried over to the terminal, and only a few seconds later did Luthor follow after, unwilling to let his employee get too far from him. He overheard the scientist making his inquiries to his subordinates, Luthor willing to wait to hear what would be said.

"A satellite just detected an object entering the atmosphere," one of the technicians was answering. "According to the readings it's big...hold on, I'll put it on screen."

A large monitor, the largest on the terminal lit up with an image, one of a large fireball moving against a blue and white backdrop. Admittedly, it was an intriguing visual, but then details such as landmasses could be picked out in the backdrop and the realization that this fireball was currently in the atmosphere was the only conclusion that could be drawn.

"It doesn't look like it's breaking up," someone remarked.

Which would be natural for any space-based object like a meteor or debris. That meant this could be neither, and given recent events…

What were the odds…?

"Keep track of it," Luthor ordered. "I want round the clock updates. If it doesn't behave normally, if it moves on a trajectory only capable of autonomous objects, I want to know. Happersen, keep looking for the robot, but remember this," a hand gestured to the monitor, "is top priority. If this is another invasion, I want to be informed immediately."

"Understood, Mr. Luthor," Happersen confirmed.

While he sounded like he was in charge, there was a growing lump in the CEO's stomach, one that he vaguely recalled as anxiety. It hadn't taken much to recall that only days ago, one of his idiot employees and inadvertently reactivated the robot, which had promptly sent a transmission. Could this be what it was trying to contact?

Luthor would never take responsibility for what happened next if that was the case. So, to be productive, he was already thinking about something else. If this latest breach was indeed related to that transmission, in what way would he be able to take advantage of it?

How best would he be able to profit from it?

That was the only though in his mind as the second hack began, making its declaration of doom.

* * *

There were no signs of atmospheric entry within the ship. No shudder, no shakes, no anything to imply that they had arrived on Earth.

Superman tried to renew his struggles, but again had no success. His heart was pounding in his chest, the fears that Earth was about to face Krypton's fate alive and well and playing out in reality, not just in a dark fantasy.

"I have visited many words, Kal-El," Brainiac remarked, green eyes not leaving the holographic screen. "Each one differed more than the last. Some were a unified species. Others were heavily segregated. What they all have in common is that they built cities, multiple ones."

The hologram had shown nothing but red, the fires of the atmosphere washing over the skull-shaped ship harmlessly. Red was soon being replaced with blue, the same hue as that of an ocean. There were whites, indicating ice, but that rapidly disappeared, becoming only blips that signified clouds.

"It takes much time and analysis," Brainiac continued, practically a stoic statue that made little to no movement. "Only one may be sampled. Only one will remain the last piece of a species' achievement. Such a sample must include as much diversity as possible in order to retain the species at its greatest representation. A large population may suffice. Technological advancement is another factor."

Superman gave a grunt, giving one more heave of his body, but once again not freeing himself. The entrapment of the bio-shell was unyielding, right down to the smallest millimeter. By now, his struggles were being ignored, Brainiac more interesting in his plans.

"Currently, the last analyses are being conducted, cities are being eliminated for failing to meet standards, and this will continue until only one remains. By estimate, only five selections remain. Four." The deep voice was calm, almost clinical in its explanation.

Peering at the alien in his portable bio-shell, the captive Kryptonian tried to make another appeal. "You don't need to do this. Please. The people of Earth, they're not a threat to you."

It was only for a moment that Brainiac was silent. However, that just made the retort all the more scathing. "Who are you to say I need to do. Everything I do, everything I choose to do, I do because I choose to. It is by my will that I commit myself to these actions, and no one or nothing else's. Who are you, Kryptonian? In the grand scheme, you are nothing but a depository of knowledge and nothing else."

"What have they done to deserve your attention? They've done nothing but live their lives. You can't collect them for your zoo or kill them. They don't deserve it!" the Kryptonian argued.

"I would have found them regardless and the result would remain the same," Brainiac stated. There was a pause. "Two remain."

Damn it, damn it, damn it, he could not let this happen! Earth, it had no idea of what had arrived and no way to know what it was truly up against.

"Beginning preparations for arrival," Brainiac commented. "The sample has been identified.

* * *

Smoke billowed from the ship. Black smoke poured off of it, surrounding it as if it were nothing more than a cloud than the terrible fate that it was. Streaking through the sky, it flew, leaving its black trail in its wake.

Diana had managed to catch up with it over Egypt. As fast as she was, she was having a difficult time keeping up with it. Calling upon Hermes to boost her speed, she continued to track the smoke-enveloped ship.

Earth's atmosphere had failed to burn the ship up upon entry. The smoke was the result of this, even if there was no end in sight for how much there would be. Glancing below her, she caught sight of a red streak—Flash.

"Flash, are you having trouble keeping up with the ship?" she hailed over the comm link.

"_Not at all,"_ the speedster replied immediately. _"I'm just keeping my distance in case it decides it wants to rumble."_

"Get closer. You will be a first responder when this ship decides what it's going to do." Keeping an eye on the red-clad man, she saw him suddenly pull ahead, rapidly closing the distance between him and the ship. She didn't even need to hear Flash's affirmative to know he got her message.

And then the ship emerged from the smoke. It was slow, but then the smoke dissipated quicker and quicker, hanging onto the ship desperately until it vanished. Soon, all that remained was the skull-like features of the ship, the very ones J'onn had described.

Diana could not help the feeling of doom that settled within her. She rather doubted a friendly force would galvanize through the universe in a ship like this. A part of her suspected it was Brainiac, but there wasn't any conclusive proof as of yet. Considering the probes were an advanced scouting unit, it wasn't a coincidence that this ship's arrival was within such a short amount of time.

"_Diana, status report,"_ Shayera suddenly said over the comm link.

"The ship is passing over China, heading East," she immediately reported. "Its speed is incredible. I'm having a hard time keeping up with it."

"_Any indication that it is going to stop anywhere?"_

"None. While it seems to be descending, it's still high up in the atmosphere." Glancing down again, the Amazon saw they were over the Pacific Ocean now. "I've only just caught up with it several minutes ago. Flash is catching up with it as we speak."

There were several seconds to pass before the Thanagarian responded. _"J'onn's telling me that the ship has circled around the planet at least twice by now. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this thing was looking for something."_

_Perhaps that is what is happening,_ Diana thought. Up ahead, she could see the coastline of the North American continent. Looking up to the ship, she found that she had actually closed some distance between her and it.

Was it just her or was that thing slowing down?

"Do you have any idea on where it's going?" she asked then.

"_Negative. It entered the atmosphere towards the Arctic side of things and has been spiraling in a southern direction since."_

"_That sounds like its looking for something to me,"_ Flash chimed in.

"Then we need to figure out where it is going and get there before the ship does," Diana said. "J'onn, I think the ship is beginning to slow down. Are you able to calculate an approximate destination?"

There was another silence before, _"Not without the proper instruments, no,"_ the Martian answered her. _"I could go over a few rough estimates, but there's too many unknown variables."_

That wasn't what she wanted to hear. "Then I will get you those variables," she said as she focused on the ship, ignoring the flat plains of the Great Plains. Again, she was drawing closer to the spacecraft. Yes, she was definitely gaining on it.

"Where are you going?" she muttered to herself. "Where are you going?"

* * *

"This acquisition is much different compared to previous ones." Brainiac, for whatever reason, had been detailing more and more of his selection process, ignoring or flat out dismissing any and all arguments Superman had been attempting to make.

Since his strength was robbed from him, all the Man of Steel had left were his words, and he was becoming more and more desperate as those too had accomplished nothing.

"I had to take in one addition criteria. Diversity, technological advancement, evolution are some of the primary ones. Contamination needed to be taken into account. What city on this planet has received your particular attention? Based on the analyses of Earth cultures, it is common for a member of the dominant species to select a single settlement to spend the majority of their life span. This is a common trait I have found in multiple races, including Krypton. You will have engaged in this same practice whether due to genetics or immersion in the local environment."

Already, a worst case scenario had appeared in the captive man's mind. Thoughts of people he knew, people he had come to accept as his own, from family, to friends, acquaintances, enemies, and even grateful bystanders. Some cheered for him, others condemned. Some wanted to know everything about him, others accepting what tiny part they had in his life and leaving it at that.

There were two places on Earth that he could think of that were important to him, and one could be scratched off due to the fact it didn't meet Brainiac's standard of diversity. That left only one other possibility that Superman could think of—!

_Please, no_.

"The analysis concludes," Brainiac stated. "The sample is chosen. We have arrived."

The image from the hologram was chilling, no longer a welcome sight The skyline, the distinctive rooftops of several buildings that were iconic in their own right, and the people below stopping what they were doing to peer up at the ship that hovered over them all like death itself.

"Selecting the ideal perimeter," the alien continued, a small screen opening into existence that showed a map of the city. A solid line drew itself on the small map, marking a large, circular chunk of it. "That will be ideal."

"Brainiac, you have me! Leave them out of this!" Superman tried once more, again struggling with the bio-shell and failing once more to get out of it.

Brainiac ignored him. "Releasing the drones. Commencing with the acquisition."

_No, oh God, no Please. Someone, anyone…_

_...protect Metropolis._


	20. Testing Defenses

Testing Defenses

Even for Metropolis, the sight of a skull-shaped UFO was an unusual one. Some members of the public stopped their commutes to get out of their cars and stare up at the sky. Those in buildings peered through windows, trying to get a better view. Others were starting to panic, and the smarter ones were trying to put some distance between themselves and this mysterious ship.

Naturally, they would be caught up in the traffic that had resulted from those stopping in the middle of the street to gawk upwards. In no time at all, the sounds of car horns began to raucous across the city.

The ship itself was large, covering the area of several city blocks. All of downtown was shaded with the dark underside of the floating skull, the disconcerting tentacles dangling beneath it causing some to become wary.

In one certain building with a large ball on top of it, a certain editor was making demands to his reporters to find out everything about what was happening because this was breaking news and the Planet was where everyone came to find out everything.

For some time, the ship hovered in the sky, just over the large city. Minutes seemed to tick by, moving slower than normal as an uneasy sense of fear began to spread over the area. Some eyes looked away from the ship, searching for a sign of anything blue and red that might be racing its way towards this thing, the first line of defense Metropolis had.

Then the impacts started. Metal objects landed with crashing thuds, cracking pavement, crashing through windows and into buildings, and crushing cars that may or may not have had someone in them.

These objects then began to stand, revealing them to be robots. Silver-colored metal shined in the sunlight, encasing thick bodies that were humanoid in nature. The feet were of particular note as a large toe extended in front while four smaller ones were positioned closer to the heel. The heads were smaller versions of the skull ship in the sky, minus the tentacles, and cranial portions were rounded with a honeycomb-like pattern that in the right light almost glowed yellow. The skull-like facial features were frightening enough to finally start the long-awaited panic.

The robots did not seem startled by any screaming or fleeing. Each one raised an arm up, a small barrel jutting out from the palms, and began firing Was it bullets or space-age energy blasts they were shooting, no one knew or cared about right now to find out. The citizens of Metropolis cared more about getting away from these robotic attackers.

Minutes would pass before law enforcement arrived and began returning fire on the robotic invaders. Bullets would harmlessly bounce or ricochet off the hard exteriors, but did succeed in attracting attention to the cops. Return fire decimated police cars and other emergency vehicles that happened to be nearby or just arriving.

As the fighting began in earnest, the robots began to spread out, putting distance between each other while continuing with their assault. All the while there were cries for help, many directed at the sky, calling out for a certain Superman to come to their rescue.

Some of those voices were silenced, mainly from glancing shots from the attacking robots. Police officers trying to resist also fell, though many injuries came from shots tearing through their cars and other makeshift barriers.

As smoke began to rise into the sky, the pleas for help were answered, but not by Metropolis' famed blue angel. Catching up, the Justice League was arriving, ready for a fight they had been expecting.

Diana didn't attempt to slow down. She charged headfirst into the first drone she came across. Though it looked different than the probes that had attacked Earth first, it was clear they were the immediate threat as they turned their formidable firepower on Metropolis' citizens.

With her hands extended in front of her as fists, she rammed into the back of one of the skull-headed drones, sending it flying into not one, but two others, the three crashing to the ground in a pile. Turning herself upright as her feet touched down on the ground, Diana found herself within a few feet of another drone, which was turning its attention to her. Twisting as she leaped into the air, she drew a fist back before throwing it, slamming it against the head of the drone.

The force of the blow snapped its head to one side, its body turning with it. However, it didn't collapse like the first one, instead snapping back into its upright posture, pointing the turret in its hand right at the Amazon Princess.

So these things were tough.

Shooting a hand up, she grabbed onto the drone's arm from underneath and pushed it skyward, its rapid fire assault firing up into the air.

Suddenly, more of those projectiles fired from her side. Immediately, Diana grabbed onto the drone with her other hand and forced it to her side. The onslaught of blasts began hitting her robotic shield, causing it to rattle and jerk about. Peeking around it, she saw the three drones she had attacked earlier had untangled themselves, each in a various state of kneeling or standing, and were pointing their turrets right at her.

That was when a red blur raced by. Diana wasn't sure what exactly happened, but suddenly each drone jerked in random directions before they collapsed back to the ground, this time without attempting to get back up—Flash's handiwork.

Returning her attention back to the drone in front of her, the dark-haired woman began squeezing her hand on the robot's forearm, attempting to crush it. Unfortunately, she barely managed to dent it. That was when it raised up it other arm, making a fist with its hand.

Alright, enough playing around. Leaping off the ground, Diana leaned backwards, curling her legs up and then kicking them out. Her feet rammed right into the drone's chest, the double kick sending it flying backwards. However, since she still held onto the robot's arm, it actually ripped right out of the arm's socket, leaving the Amazon to hold on it as the rest of the mechanical nightmare flew away.

Okay, where were the others? Spinning around, Diana found another drone, one that was beginning to turn its attention to her. Unfortunately, this one was too far away for her to attack, at least not before it raised its hand turret. Immediately, it fired at her, the Amazon immediately moving her arms up. With her arms moving, her silver bracers deflected each projectile. Adjusting her arms, she managed to ricochet one of the rapid fire attacks back at the drone, nailing it right in the head. Incredibly, the shot tore right through the skull, causing the drone to stop, then promptly drop to the ground.

So, its own firepower could damage it. Reaching to her comm link, Diana wanted to make sure the others knew. "Wonder Woman to Justice League, I've found out the robots' are vulnerable to their own firepower. If you can, aim for their heads."

* * *

"_Understood,"_ J'onn responded, the sound of battle a backdrop to his transmission. He must be in Metropolis as well, the same for Shayera since she was with the Martian on the Watchtower. That just left Batman unaccounted for.

He would be here unless Gotham was under siege. Checking her surroundings, the dark-haired woman found no immediate threats, that is until she heard screaming and explosions down an intersecting street. Leaping into the air, the Amazon took off to face that threat.

Becoming translucent, J'onn moved behind one of the attacking drones, passing his hand right into its back. He then solidified himself and yanked his hand back, ripping out a chunk of metal and mechanical components with it.

As the robot dropped, the Martian turned his attention to another. This one was just beginning to look at him, so J'onn once again became intangible. Taking into the air, he flew right at the drone, which began firing its turret at him. The small lasers passed right through him—he knew this because he could not sense the familiar distortion of small projectiles passing through him, which meant these were energy based—and he did not slow down his flight. Passing head first through the drone, he then became tangible midway through, ripping through the robot as he continued his course.

That was another two drones. Turning his head, he found another drone, this one further down the street. His eyes glowing white, he fired his Martian Vision at it, the white blast colliding with the robot and sending it flying further down the street.

So far taking on these drones head-on was working. These new robots, though constructed of a similar material as the scouting probes, had different design flaws. It had been a guess to try passing through them and yanking out important parts, one that was paying off.

Still, if there was a central intelligence controlling these things, eventually it would grow wiser to this tactic and take steps to counter it. Reaching beneath his cape, J'onn pulled out his EMP device. He had spent much time building these, it would be a shame if he did not test them on their intended target.

Lifting up higher into the air, J'onn went in search of another drone. He noticed a red streak racing through the city, undoubtedly Flash. The red-clad man wasn't slowing down, so he was handling himself well. He hadn't seen Hawkgirl since their arrival, the Thanagarian taking off on her own almost immediately. Diana was here too if her transmission was any indication.

That's when J'onn orange eyes sharpened. There was a drone, one that appeared to be hunting a couple of humans. It stood at the mouth of an alley, its prey hiding behind a dumpster, trembling in fear. Their terrified thoughts assaulted the Martian, causing him to wince before he blocked them out.

Drifting downward, he landed behind the drone, even as it stepped into the alley. Activating the EMP, J'onn pointed it at the back of the drone, then pressed the fire button.

There was no visual reaction, at least one that was noticeable in the visual spectrum. There was no sound either. The only things he saw were the screen lighting up and the drone stopping for a split second before it crumpled into a pile on the ground. It didn't even so much as twitch.

He would take that as a successful test.

"Attention Justice League," he then hailed over the comm link. "The EMP device is successful. Use your EMP devices on the robots."

"_Aye, aye, J'onn,"_ Flash was the first to respond. That was a good thing since the Fastest Man Alive could sweep the city quickly and use the EMP device on all attackers. The first wave of this attack would be over soon.

Unfortunately, that would leave them with a second wave.

* * *

It hadn't taken long for some yahoo to start livestreaming the event, but that had played well into Luthor's hands. Several streams were covering the event, all muted because the tycoon was not interested in someone making commentary, swear-filled or otherwise. It had been discovered, some by accident and others intentional, that not all wireless connections were compromised; some had been missed, but due to how efficient and unstoppable this latest hack was, it was a moot point. However, there was something more…fascinating to look into.

He was more interested in the mechanical marvels that had descended onto his city and were in the process of attacking it. His knowledge of robotics gave him a particular insight, and as he watched the robot onslaught, he paid special attention to the autonomous attackers. The way they moved, the built and structure of their bodies, and the indiscriminate way they were fighting back against the Justice League were studied with not so little glee.

They were so smooth in their movements, so streamlined, and brutal. Earth had yet to reach this level of sophistication, and with him, Lex Luthor, admitting that, especially when LexCorp was on the forefront of all robotics research and manufacture, that was an uncharacteristic admittance.

And he wanted them. What military wouldn't pay through the nose for them? What favors could he gain from people of influence? How power could he amass by being able to reproduce these fantastical creations?

It was obvious where they were all coming from. That peculiar ship hovering in the sky was the culprit. That was the source, the same one that had sent the other models to this planet in its previous of attack. What else could be found inside of it?

Trouble was already brewing for LexCorp from two fronts, both of which were Earth-based. Both would be more concerned with this skull ship for the time being, ignoring him in favor of the greater threat. That left time in which he could build a better defense to protect his namesake or create an opportunity to further gain from all this while simultaneously keeping up the necessary legal barriers.

Luthor had not gotten to where he was today without taking many, many risks. Most had paid off favorably, even with the occasional bust here and there, which was to be expected in this business. What he was looking at was the source of the technology that gave Superman himself trouble by its mere existence.

This was absolutely something that could not be ignored.

"Lex, we have the tower locked down and secured." Ah, Mercy with an update. "So far, the building itself is unscathed, but that could change any minute now if these new robots decide to make an attempt at us. Happersen is getting that hacking program of his set up for offensive purposes, but I have security arming up in case people try to beat them to us."

That was his Mercy, anticipating threats most would not consider. LexCorp could indeed become a haven for most people trying to escape this latest citywide menace.

Still…

"Tweak it. Anyone that comes seeking shelter, grant it. Make sure they are escorted to…'safe areas.' No need to let them wander and find something they shouldn't. The areas for the tours should be good enough."

"Lex?" There was some confusion here.

"Should we emerge from this latest attack, the PR I gain from this little favor will go a long way. The people of Metropolis will become a shield against A.R.G.U.S. and the Justice League. Any advantage I can get needs to be taken."

"Understood." Ah, she was catching on. Good girl.

"Once you've set that up, I need you down in the basement. I want the prototype to be ready for a test run." His version of the League's Javelins was sitting there and armed to the teeth. It's capabilities in this situation would come in handy as well as allow a very unique testing ground. "I will meet you there. The two of us have a task, and I will give the details then."

Just a second's hesitation, but that's all Mercy would allow for herself. "Understood, Mr. Luthor."

His heart rate was starting to pick up, mostly from anticipation. Once more, Luthor found himself about to make a gamble, and the results were ones he would be able to control with his own two hands. Before all that, a change in wardrobe would be needed.

Where he was going, a three-piece suit was far from being acceptable.

* * *

The hum of the engine filled Batman's ears. Hand gripping the cyclic stick, he guided the flying wing towards its destination.

The outskirts of Metropolis were closing in rapidly. Above the city was a hovering, skull-like ship, undoubtedly the reason for the alert he received from J'onn. According to news reports, ground forces had been released, which the Justice League was fighting. He'd been listening to the comm link and the EMPs were working just as they had been designed.

For now, he'd leave the ground forces to the League. It was time to see what this skull ship could do. Entering the city limits, Batman tilted the stick towards him, the jet ascending through the air towards the massive ship. As he drew closer to it, it grew larger and larger in the windshield.

Moving a hand to the controls, he began activating all weapon systems. Alright, let's see what this thing could do.

There was a red button on top of the stick, his thumb resting on top of it. Pressing down hard on it, he held it as one missile, then two fired from beneath the wings of his jet. Contrails were left in the wake of the missiles as they raced through the air, closing in on the alien ship. The vigilante waited and waited until—

Suddenly, the missiles exploded in midair. It was too far to tell, but Batman wasn't certain they had even come into contact with the ship. Frowning, he then pressed the red button and fired another missile.

Due to the closing distance between him and the skull ship, it took a much shorter time for the missile to explode. This time, however, he was certain that the missile had detonated long before it should have. In fact, there was a flash of light this time, one just noticeable at the point of contact.

Great, this thing was shielded.

Moving the stick away from him, the flying wing began to dip down, allowing him to chart a course underneath the ship. Looking up, he saw the bottom of the spacecraft, taking note of the long, tentacle-like arms. However, there was something else buried within arms, something he wasn't quite sure what.

Suddenly, an alarm went off in the cockpit. Immediately, Batman jerked on the navigation stick, just in time to dodge what appeared to be laser beams. The engine of his aircraft wailed as he sliced through the air, turning the whole time until he faced the skull ship.

That's when he saw it. Descending through the air was an entire fleet of smaller ships—fighters.

Just perfect.

* * *

They had appeared as suddenly as a cloud of gnats. Fighter ships flew down towards the city and began opening fire, blasting the streets and buildings alike.

This was more like it.

Flying up into the air, Shayera held her mess in one hand, electricity dancing all over the weapon's head. Already she was taking evasive maneuvers as she glided from one side to the other as she approached an incoming ship head on. Drawing the electrified mace to her hips, she let out a war cry at the very last second before she swung it.

The Nth metal mace hit the wing of the fighter and immediately fire and smoke exploded out. Shayera had already pulled away, watching just long enough to see the damaged craft careen downwards until it crashed into the side of a building, exploding into a fireball.

Well, she hadn't meant to do that, but she didn't really have the luxury to not cause collateral damage.

Returning her attention to the others, she rose higher into the air before she began to swoop downwards, perfectly timing herself to arrive just above another fighter. Swinging her mace, she hit it on top of its hull, again causing significant damage, the craft jerking downwards then upwards as smoke leaked out from where it was hit. Unfortunately, that one didn't go down so much as made to circle around and come at her.

That's when a blue of red, blue, and yellow raced right into it, ramming into its bottom and bursting out of its top. Immediately it exploded in midair. Turning her head, the redhead watched as Wonder Woman flew for another one, tearing right through it as she had the previous ship.

Show off.

A smirk appeared on her face. "That one was mine, Diana," she said through the comm link.

"_Apologies, Sister. Shall we start the count again?"_

"Damn straight." Immediately turning her sights onto another ship, Shayera set her sights on another fighter and took off for it. Taking note of another craft trailing behind it, she then angled herself underneath the first fighter, then shot upwards. With a swing of her mace, she nailed it just beneath the nose, forcing it upwards. The ship actually seemed to fling itself backwards, its nose pointing up to the sky. The following ship then rammed right into the top of the first one, the two exploding a moment later.

"That's two for me."

* * *

So that was how Hawkgirl was going to play this.

A smirk not unlike the one the redhead had to be sporting covered the Amazon's face. She would not be beaten in this game. Fists extended out in front of her, she kept to her tried-and-true strategy of running right through the new threats, these space fighters. Picking up her speed, she flew right into, and then through, another ship, causing another explosion to ring out behind her. That was one for her.

That's when she heard a rather familiar sound, that of a shrieking engine. Turning her head, she spotted the Batwing as it barrel rolled, avoiding what looked like laser fire. So Batman was here at last.

That fighter that was on his tail, though, was trouble. Immediately, she took off towards it, picking up her pace until she reached the back of it. Grabbing ahold of it, her fingers sinking into the metal framework, she then pulled as hard as she could in the opposite direction.

This caused the ship to jerk around in front of her like a struggling Chihuahua. As it jerked upwards, she let go of it, causing it to speed away and right into one of its comrades, causing the both of them to explode. That was two and three for her.

Eyeing the Batwing again, she saw it engage with another fighter ship, firing a stream of bullets until the spacecraft suffered enough damage that it was sent falling to the city below. There was no thank you, but that was okay. There were more important matters at hand.

"_I'm up to four, Diana. You keeping up?" _Hawkgirl taunted her.

"Of course," she responded and made to go after another ship. That was until she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

Stopping, the Amazon turned her attention to the west. At the horizon, she spotted several small dots, which were growing bigger with every passing second. Her hearing could pick out the sound of engines—and faintly, transmission.

There were only so many possibilities this could be. Considering where they were, it would seem the government was responding.

* * *

The operation was going as scheduled. Even though pockets of resistance was forming, all of it was expected and planned for. This would not be the first planet that fought against his presence and would not be the last.

The rate at which the drones were falling was worth some curiosity. Bringing up the data revealed multiple operational failures. The ground forces were having the most success while aerial had yet to deal any noteworthy damage.

It was interesting, the amount of physical force that was having an effect. Some data revealed individuals with enhanced strength and an ability to learn that was putting them far ahead of the drone's programming. The programming itself had a flaw as it was determined to fulfill its purpose in spite of the ever present threat to its objective. Then there were the surges, ones that decimated the hardware of the drones while leaving them mostly intact.

This planet had invested much in its defenses.

"Earth is putting up a much stronger resistance than previously predicted," Brainiac stated aloud, mostly for the benefit of the Kryptonian. "Perhaps it is due to your contamination. Based on prior civilizations, such resistance is rare."

Kal-El was silent for a moment, the only noise emitted being that of his respiratory. "The people of Earth aren't going to give in to you, Brainiac. They'll fight to the last."

"Perhaps they will," the Coluan agreed. "However, I myself am not without options. When tactics are proven to be ineffective, it is best to change them rather than continue."

With his thoughts alone, he sent forth new commands and objectives. There was no need to fight the defenders to the last, not when conquest was not the primary objective, or any for that matter. The drones were to reach the designated checkpoints and begin preparations for acquisition, effective immediately. Force fields were to be activated at all times.

Even if these measures ended up failing, there was a reason why he had more than enough drones for this kind of operations, several times over. Attacks on the populace would be suspended, confusing the defenders enough to allow the drones to get into position. Even if more failed, there were plenty more to take the fallen's place.

**Complete parameter. Prepare for immediate acquisition.**

It was sent. The drones would respond immediately. More would be released to ensure success. This world's defenses would not be able to prevent what was to come.

In effect, no different from any other.

* * *

The power suit of Lex Luthor's was a three piece suit, one expensive enough to bankrupt a low middle class family. However, because it was for the board room, it needed to be replaced with something more durable. Something that was designed for fast action and split second decisions.

Naturally, Luthor had something like this in his wardrobe. It contrasted differently from his normal blacks and whites. A purple button-up long sleeve shirt fitted his surprisingly fit torso and was lined with pockets situated in key locations. Green khaki pants took care of the rest and was held up with a belt, utility naturally as the smaller pockets there held more sensitive tools. Lastly, a gun holster held onto straps wrapped around his upper body, placing the weapon it held over the left side of his chest. Green gloves finished the ensemble, naturally designed to protect his hands from various forms of hazards, but thin enough to allow mobility.

Mobility was what this outfit was designed for. While he would have preferred armor, being quick on his feet may play to his advantage. Also, the vision he had for armor was still in the development phase. More time would be needed to even begin constructing it.

Mercy soon joined him, herself changed into something more appropriate for the plan. She was rid of the chauffer uniform he preferred her to wear, and was more suited as a shock troop, though her color scheme remained solid black.

"Lex," she greeted. "The prototype should be ready."

"Very good," he praised, reaching for a small case which he gripped at the handle, carrying it along as he made his way towards the prototype's docking bay. It should be ready to launch immediately, thus Luthor would also get to see its performance personally. "Our objective is to get on board and do a search. I hope you're armed to the teeth, because I highly doubt our extraterrestrial visitor left his home base unprotected."

"Are you sure you want to do this? There's still time," Mercy offered as she followed after him, keeping stride but always behind.

"Risks are a part of life," Luthor remarked, heading down a hallway. "If anyone is to excel, they have to be willing to accept that. Opportunities such as this rarely come, and when they do, you need the willpower to recognize and seize them for what they are. We've already had one alien invasion, and the fact that it wasn't taken for the opportunity it was is a regret I refuse to repeat. That that technology is in the hands of the government and available on the black market, without my blessing, is not going to happen a second time."

That someone like Dorsey had had such contact with that kind of weaponry was still galling, even now.

A mind like his would have put it all to better use, and better yet, squirreled some of it away. The research and development, the advancement, and of course the power and influence that would have come along with his hand behind it would be all the sweeter and profitable.

Entering the docking bay, the prototype with several tentative names was ready for launch, prepped prior to his arrival as instructed. Luthor led the way into the aircraft, Mercy beside him. Passing passenger seating, the CEO made his way to the front where the controls were and took a seat on the right. Mercy was on the left, strapping herself in and activating the vehicle

The hum of the engines was hidden by that of the electronic equipment, something the bald man approved of. There was no sense in a person being annoyed by the sound of an engine constantly running. While his bodyguard continued to handle this aspect, Luthor opened the small case he had carried in, removed what appeared to be an arm gauntlet, and slipped it on. Opening a curved panel revealed a small screen and keypad.

In short, it was a small computer, one designed from some of the most cutting edge hardware and requiring the minimal amount of inputs. Uploaded into the device was the translation program that his researchers and technicians had been working on, as well as the hacking program. Though still untested, the chance to have an in vivo trial was too tempting to pass.

Depending on how things developed, there may be an opportunity or several to use it before they got into a hairy situation.

"Everything's a go, Lex," Mercy reported.

"Good," he answered as he slipped the safety harness on, securing himself to his seat. "Launch when ready."

A few switches were flipped, a couple buttons, and then the sensation of movement as the vehicle surged forward. Ahead, the large doors that blocked off the bay were opening, allowing daylight in to the facility.

Out into Metropolis, the prototype flew, proving its aerial ability. Flight was achieved, but that was a minor accomplishment. The real test was just ahead, identified by the skull-shaped ship that hovered over his city. The battle in the sky had already begun, which was perfect.

That would provide them with cover.


	21. Acquisition

Acquisition

Air screeched on either side of the cockpit, muffled by the thick windshield of the jet. Steve tightened his grip on the cyclic stick as he guided the aircraft closer and closer to the skull-shaped spaceship that hovered over Metropolis.

His thoughts were only at the matter at hand, nothing spared for why this was happening or what caused it. The only thing important was that it was happening and it needed to be stopped.

On either side, other fighter jets broke formation, engaging with the enemy fighters that radar was detecting. Steve responded in kind, moving his stick as he focused on the inevitable dogfight ahead.

All his life, he had known that what he wanted to be was a jet fighter pilot, an airman in the Airforce. Flight had always been fascinating, and fighting in it would always give an adrenaline rush. He had been top of his class, one of the better pilots, though there was always that one with the ego who happened to have the skills to back it up. He had no idea where Jordan had gone or was up to, but having a guy like that might have made him feel easier about this.

The enemy were conservative in their fire, not taking shots unless they seemed absolutely certain they were going to hit something. Steve's brow twitched as enemy fire scraped against the sides of his jet, leaving scorch marks in the wake but not doing any severe damage. Yet.

With sharp eyes, he did his best to line himself behind one of the enemy fighters, and gave experimental bursts of fire, rapidly-shot bullets whizzing through the air. Maybe it was his imagination, but there could have been sparks from impacts. It was hard to tell, and Steve wasn't going to waste time trying to figure it out.

Pulling the cyclic stick to his right, his aircraft obeyed and the pilot narrowly avoided the return fire from the opposing combatants. The world outside his cockpit tilted, the city of Metropolis taking an interesting angle until he straightened out the jet and increased speed.

Up ahead was another fighter, and Steve made adjustments once to try and get behind this one. Priming the missile launching program, the blond-haired man struggled to keep his target in sight while trying to limit the number of shots fired at him from making direct contact. A small screen displayed a small graphic along with various sets of rapidly decreasing numbers, occasionally increasing when evasive maneuvers were taken. The graphics were two dimensional and green in color, a circle representing his target while two lines on either side of it moved steadily closer to it.

Then the green turned to orange, and screen announcing a shooting solution was had. Without further ado, Steve fired a missile, keeping an eye on its path that was marked only by a thin plume of smoke.

There was a sense of satisfaction when his target erupted into a lovely ball of fire and began falling down. There was no time to worry about the city below where the damaged fighter would go and so there had to be some trust that people would get out of the way of the resulting crash.

Taking a left, the large skull-ship came into view once more, closer now than before. It was like looking at the obvious mothership to an alien invasion, and obviously this thing had to go down to end its threat. Enemy fire passed alongside him, barely scraping the sides of his wings, but that was enough for more evasion. Taking a right might not have been the best idea because closing in was an enemy fighter that was way too close for comfort.

Lowering altitude prevented a midair collision, and another right put the ocean in sight. The pilot continued turning to the right, bringing the skull ship back into sight. Firing random bursts of gunfire, Steve attempted to cause some disruption for a fellow pilot, one that was in the middle of being chased by an enemy fighter. This time he could see the bullets strike the side of the enemy aircraft—spacecraft?—and saw no definitive damage.

_Armor plating must be strong enough to resist gunfire. Explosives seem strong enough but a jet can only carry so many. Too many fighters—_

An explosion overhead tore through a friendly, the damage jet falling close by and vanishing from sight as soon as it had appeared.

—_not enough good guys. And what about the mothership over there?_

It seemed simple enough. Take out the mothership, the little guys give up. Maybe too simplistic, but war of attrition in the skies was not a viable strategy. Increasing speed, Steve began a headlong rush towards his next target, one that was big enough that precision wouldn't be needed. Yet.

Arming another missile, he fired as a test, keeping an eye on the projectile while being mindful of other combatants. Almost predictably, and in hindsight, the missile detonated against a force field that happened to be invisible to the naked eye, flashing into existence only when hit. _Of course, naturally, should have known it was there._

This was getting familiar, like he had seen this in a movie familiar. As an alarm rang out through the cockpit, Steve made a sharp left, barely dodging the enemy fire that would have struck him. All thinking came to a stop and the world seemed to slow itself as the pilot found himself being chased, an enemy fighter hot on his tail.

Each action was instinctive, sharp turns having him zigzag through the airspace as pursuit continued. The short burst of fire continued to scrape the sides of his jet, giving away the enemy's accuracy. There was no room for error here.

Even as the blond-haired man continued to evade, sharp turns and even a complete, upside down loop made to try and get behind his tail, he searched for something to help end the chase. His pursuer was good, keeping up, and not allowing that loop to throw it off. Stress was creeping up with each second as air tore around the jet, the aircraft shuddering as a shot peeled some of the plating off his right wing.

Suddenly increasing speed, Steve blasted forth, the world about starting to blur at this speed. The sharpness of turns decreased, the cyclic stick began to tremble in his grip as the pilot fought to stay in control. Then he cut through the path of another enemy fighter and barely a second later, the alarm in his cockpit went silent as his pursuer had a midair collision.

As the world began to slow down, both in speed and in perception, Steve had a passing thought that he would have loved to have seen his pursuer's face right before—

His jet rocked, alarms blared, and the unmistakable sound of an explosion reach his ears. Damn, he was hit.

One hand reached for a handle, gripped it, then pulled. The windshield blew off, and then air was rushing downwards as the pilot ejected. Beneath him, his plane passed by, fired roaring from the damaged engines. Gravity would soon reassert itself, and then he was falling, falling, until the parachute unleased.

Well, this was neat. Annoying, but only because it was going to take some time before he could get back into the air. All around, the battle raged, jets and spacecraft dogfighting the living daylights out, gunfire both friendly and enemy whizzing through the air and explosions leaving a nice smell of heat and sulfur behind.

A hum caught his attention, and Steve looked over his shoulder, eyes widening as he saw an enemy fighter heading straight in his direction, incoming. Well, this day just got better didn't it? How high was he...high enough to go splat if he released his chute. Damn, this wasn't his day, was it?

Once again, luck changed, this time coming in the form of something strong that packed a punch. Blue eyes widened as a very familiar red, blue, and gold clad woman with the most luscious black hair imaginable struck the side of the enemy spacecraft, causing quite a dent in it and sending it way off course.

_Diana always did know how to make an entrance_.

Then, almost predictably, the Amazonian princess began heading straight for him, grabbing the seat that he was still strapped to and pulling down. Not even the resistance of the parachute was able to withstand Diana's strength, but that was only an afterthought. Bullets and freaky alien energy continued to whiz about the air, so remaining in the thick of it wasn't a good idea, thus why Steve made on objection to any of this.

However, that didn't stop him from saying, "Diana."

"Steve," the Amazon responded, a small form of greeting that he found she was getting so much better at.

He was brought to a rooftop where his ejected seat was placed, Immediately, he began unstrapping, even as the dark-haired woman was beginning to rise back up into the air.

He wanted to say something else, something more. However, the hurt that he still felt, inflicted by the knowledge that the woman he helped bring to this world was willing to withhold secrets from him held him back. It was one thing when it involved some Greek mythology shit that happened to spring up here and there—mythology had never been his thing anyway—but this current situation, and the promise of joining forces once more being dashed, that was too recent and personal.

Was there any hesitation that the flying woman was feeling? Was she heading back into battle slower than usual? Or was that just something his mind was making up? Regardless, it felt as if there was something between them, separating them in a way that Themiscyra never could.

Maybe it could be settled later, but for now, he needed to find another set of wings and get back up there. This fight was far from finished.

* * *

As the fighter flew right for him, J'onn did not feel fear. He just hovered above the battered city of Metropolis, watching as the ship closed in on him.

At the last moment, he went translucent and phased right through the craft as it rushed into him. Passing through the ship, he allowed his hand to become tangible and he grabbed what appeared to be a power core. The moment he did, he became intangible again, along with the core. The next moment passed and he was back in open air, becoming tangible as he held the power core. Behind him, the ship began to wobble before it began dropping from the sky.

Tossing the core away, the Martian looked up to the larger skull ship. Even now he could see more of the smaller fighters being released, an obvious response to the government aircrafts that were engaging the aerial forces.

All around him he could see American F-18s in dogfights, shooting down the alien ships even as their own numbers took losses. To the east he caught sight of Diana ramming her way through another couple of ships, destroying them in bursts of flames. He had lost sight of Hawkgirl, but she was still engaged with the enemy. As for Batman…

J'onn frowned. Even as he searched with his mind, he could not detect the dark-clad man. How strange. Though Batman had always kept his thoughts closely guarded, the Martian was able to sense him. Now though, it was as if he knew the man was here, but yet he could not confirm that.

This had never happened before.

Pausing for a moment, J'onn allowed his eyes to become white before he fired his Martian Vision, the white beams coming into contact with another attacking ship, destroying in right then and there.

Once that was done, he turned to the tried-and-true method of physically looking. Rotating to his left, he searched for the uniquely shaped Batwing until he found it towards the south. It was firing one of its missiles, one that followed a fighter ship until it made contact, destroying it.

At least he knew the vigilante was still okay. Figuring out why he could not sense the man could be dealt with at a later time. It was entirely possible he had just fortified his already impressive mental defenses; that was not outside the scope of possibility.

However, because J'onn had been searching for his comrades, something in the background caught his eye. Frowning, he began floating in the direction he had last seen the Batwing, though he wasn't purposefully trying to find it. Though appearing distracted, he was not oblivious to not one, but two fighters setting their attention on him, both flying at him from either side. Stopping, he patiently waited before becoming intangible, just in time for each spacecraft's weapons to fire at him. Each blast went through him harmlessly.

Then the Martian rapidly flew upward, which caused both incoming crafts to fly right into each other, causing a large explosion.

Returning to tangibility, J'onn continued on his journey. At first, he thought he had lost what he had seen, perhaps even just thought he had seen shadows jumping.

But then he caught sight of another. There, small in comparison to the fighters, was a drone. Unlike the other crafts, it appeared to be actively avoiding conflict. What more, it was drifting away from the fighting, heading towards the city limits.

Eyes narrowing, J'onn continued after the drone. Until now the drones had sought out conflict. This was a clear difference in behavior.

Whatever the reason for this, he would not allow it to continue.

Picking up his pace, he ignored the fighting around him as he closed in on the retreating drone. A couple of fighter ships tried to get in his way and he increased his density to the point that his body took on a solid, metallic look. Due to his speed, he slammed into, and then ripped through those ships much like a wrecking ball through a building. Their subsequent explosions occurred moments later, as if the ships were unsure what to do and then gave into destruction.

Reaching the outer city, the Martian found the drone landing in the middle of a street. It ignored the rush of traffic as the city's citizens fled, settling down on the center stripe of the road. Even stranger, it didn't attempt to attack the cars or fleeing people on foot.

This was becoming more and more odd.

Then a faded green light formed around the drone, creating a sphere. A passing car shied away from this light immediately, as if touching it would be death. Several other cars did the same until one just ran headfirst into it. Instead of passing through the light, the front of the car crumpled and the car went spinning away, crashing into other passing cars.

J'onn narrowed his eyes. It appeared these drones had force fields.

Retrieving the EMP device, he approached the shielded drone. Coming to a stop a few feet away from it, he pointed the device at the robot and pushed the trigger.

A few seconds went by and nothing happened. The shield did not go away. However, the cars around the drone suddenly shut off, rolling forward due to momentum. Frowning, J'onn stared at them before he released the trigger, then pushed it again.

Again, the shield did not go down. Other cars shut down around him like the previous time. It was then the Martian felt as if something were wrong and he knew just what. This green shield, it was preventing the EMP from affecting the drone. He had not counted on this turn of events.

Immediately, he shot up higher into the air. He needed to find another drone and quickly. If this shield was a counter to the EMP, then they needed to find a counter to the shield. Deep inside, he felt as if something was coming and he was unsure of what that was.

But he fully expected that it was something that was not good.

* * *

The blasts shot past the cockpit. Batman merely glanced at them before he pulled the stick to the left, his flying wing instantly making the turn.

From what his radar was showing, he had a couple bogies on his tail. Not exactly a good thing, but he wasn't panicking. That was a good way to make a wrong move and get shot down. Keeping a cool mind would serve him better.

However, these ships were proving a little difficult to shake off. A barrel roll hadn't work. Attempting to loop above them had fared the same as the barrel roll. Zig-zagging had kept him from getting shot down so far, but that would only last for so long before the enemy pilots figured out a pattern or began working in tandem with each other. What the vigilante needed to do was get behind them and run them off, preferably shooting them down.

Turning the stick to the right, his jet slid in that direction, even as a few more of those alien beams shot by. Glancing down to the radar, he saw he had a bogie to the left and right of his own aircraft, leaving a narrow gap between them.

Now there was an idea. It was a risky one and had a high probability of taking him and at least one of those spacecrafts out, but at the various least that was one less fighter to shoot down the government fighter jets or the Justice League.

_Alright, let's see what they do._

Moving a hand to the dashboard, he began flicking a series of switches, which resulted in the engine slowing down. The fire that came out the exhaust port shrank and his speed began to plummet. Momentum kept him flying forward.

Batman then yanked on the stick hard to the left and his feet pressed down on a pedal on the floor, which caused the dark jet to start flipping to the left. Due to the enemy fighters maintaining their speed, they caught up to him in seconds. As the left wing of the jet pointed skyward and the right to the city below, the two spacecrafts shot right by him.

Heh, that had worked splendidly.

Immediately, he was flicking the same switches in the opposite direction, his engine revving back to life and the fire from the exhaust blasting out. His targeting system honed in on the two space crafts.

Suddenly, both crafts shot in opposite directions. Damn, he was being forced to choose. Jerking the stick to the left, he kept on that one, his targeting system once again honing on it until it got a lock. Firing a missile, he watched it fly towards its target, detonating once it made contact and caused a large fireball to consume the enemy craft.

Keeping the stick to the left, he began to circle around, just in time to see the other spacecraft rushing towards him, opening fire. Immediately, the vigilante pushed the stick forward and his jet went downward, dodging the lasers and causing the enemy fighter to fly above him. He then pulled back hard on the stick and began going into a flip, his world appearing upside down, yet having the fighter ship in sight. He promptly opened fire with the machine guns, watching as the bullets tore into the ship until it exploded.

Quickly, Batman righted his aircraft. All of this dog fighting was getting tiresome. Doing a system's check, he found minimal damage to his jet. A weapon's check, unfortunately, saw he was beginning to run low on missiles. The bullets were about half of what he came in with.

That's when an alarm went off. Immediately the dark-clad man looked to the radar, seeing it zooming out of his immediate area until a red triangle appeared at the edge, somewhere to his left. There were other shapes, such as red circles for the space fighters and squares for the government fighter jets. The triangle must have a different tag.

Angling his jet to the left, he went in search of the mysterious ship. He didn't have long to search though as he located it rather quickly. It was coming from the northwest and appeared on its own. Hitting a couple buttons on the dashboard, a small square image appeared on the windshield. Within the image was a closer look at the aircraft, one that Batman recognized as the prototype pseudo-Javelin from LexCorp.

What the hell was Luthor doing?

Closing the image, Batman then opened up his comm link. "Attention all Justice League," he hailed. "I've spotted Luthor's prototype Javelin approaching the battle. He's coming from the northwest."

"_What the hell is Luthor doing?" _Flash immediately responded back. _"Is he trying to take on all of these guys by himself?"_

"_Or maybe he's trying to take advantage of the situation,"_ Hawkgirl replied. Batman was inclined to agree with that train of thought. No doubt Luthor saw an opportunity and was dead set on taking advantage of it.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Batman said over the comm. "The rest of you keep up with your objectives."

Arching his ship, Batman made to circle around the incoming aircraft. Sooner or later Luthor would show his hand and the vigilante was going to make sure that it wouldn't hurt the League or the battling government jets. The stacks were too high to let some egomaniac bumble his way into a pitch-out battle.

* * *

Luthor paid no mind to the chaos just outside the titanium walls. Instead, his attention was focused on the computerized gauntlet he wore, tapping onto the small keypad. All necessary programs were up and running, and it was time to put this plan into action.

The first thing to do was gain digital access to this alien ship. This required both the hacking and translation program Happersen had developed. As he had predicted, when utilizing the hacking program, the language that had come up had been the same one that had been found in the robot's programming. There needed to be a delay of several seconds in order to use the translation program; there was no point in trying to hack when you couldn't understand the information being presented to you.

These were some very good firewalls. Someone knew a thing or two about programming. However, he was Lex Luthor, and firewalls would fall before him no matter how long it took.

Beside him, Mercy piloted the nameless prototype, completely calm and concentrating on her task. It was a feat of the engineering department that the sensation of being jerked side to side was barely felt, but that didn't mean it was completely compensated for. Sometimes a sharp turn had to be made, and that would slightly interfere with the bald CEO's concentration.

When he would be disturbed, that was when he would speak up. "Steady, Mercy."

The only sign his bodyguard heard him was the tightening of her jaw. Thumbs pressed down on buttons alongside the steering device, and if one were to peer through the windshield, the sign of ammunition would be seen lightening up the area.

The rounds were heavy, damage-dealers because when it came to weaponry, that was one area Luthor refused to cut corners on. It must be a fantastic show out there, the fighting capabilities of the prototype being put to the test. Occasionally, the light from a fireball erupting from an alien spacecraft would be detected by the tycoon, but for the most part he couldn't be bothered.

The small screen in his gauntlet was alight with so much information and coding, and his fingers were practically jamming the buttons on the small keypad. The firewalls were being stubborn; translation was taking too long. However, while trying on his patience, it did not mean that he would let his frustration get to him.

Mercy made a sharp turn, causing Luthor to pause in his work. A part of him wanted to give a reprimand, but that was tempered by his discipline. Empathy for his employee to keep them alive was nonexistent. If she did it again, there would be words, but for the moment, his priorities were required elsewhere.

As a piece of translated code appeared on the small screen, the CEO narrowed his eyes slightly, tapping several keys quickly. The programs were finding something, a gap in the defenses. Luthor allowed a small smile to curve his lips. Finally, some progress. Now...wait.

The proverbial gap closed up, covered up with line after line of complex code. The ship's defenses were quicker than he had anticipated.

But he was far from discouraged.

Next time, there would be no hesitation. If he found another point of entry, it would be exploited, so long as Mercy kept everything steady so that he wasn't distracted.

In the meantime, all he needed was patience.

* * *

It was an almost perfect circle on the screen. Brainiac watched it, barely moving while Superman tried his best once again to break from his restraint.

Once again, he failed. Weakness continued to grip his body, denying him the strength he had always known.

Letting his head sink slightly, or as much as the bioshell would allow, the Kryptonian wracked his mind desperately, hoping to somehow stop what was coming. Physical force was not an option, and so far pleas and begging did not reach the green alien's conscience. Did Brainiac ever have one?

"Establishment of perimeter is one hundred percent complete," Brainiac announced. This caused the restrained male to look up, blue eyes watching the alien warily.

"Don't do this," Superman tried one more time. "You don't...you don't need to do this."

"It is not a matter of need, son of Jor-El, that prompts me to take these actions," Brainiac retorted. "This is inevitability. I would have found this planet eventually, and the actions you have watched would have occurred. All that is different is that my acquisition was chronically advanced."

"But…"

"Save your strength, Kryptonian." The interruption was as swift as it was brutal. "You have no power here." Brainiac's posture straightened more, as if that was possible, and his shoulders squared. "Proceed with acquisition."

As the order was given, Superman's eyes widened with desperation. "No!" he cried, struggling once more and failing again to free himself.

On the holographic screen, the outline of the circle changed in color.

* * *

A certain number of drones had broken off from the fighting. It hadn't been noticeable from the beginning, but when those drones all turned outward from the center of the city, it might have garnered some attention if one was paying attention.

The yellow color of their dome-shaped heads changed to a light green, and arms raised up until they were perpendicular with the bodies, parallel with the ground. They completely disengaged from everything, ignoring people, ignoring battle, ignoring panic.

The green glow of the skull-designed heads began to intensify, then green energy began to expand, lining against the robotic bodies then extending out. At this point, it was difficult _not_ to notice something was up.

J'onn was one of the first. Pulling away, the Martian gazed at the unusual behavior, becoming alarmed as the green energy continued to grow. Whatever could this mean? Based on everything they were able to find out, anything that did not fit with their prior experiences.

This certainly did not fit.

There were times to act, and then there were times to observe. The Martian chose the latter of the two, watching this latest development and trying to uncover what the purpose of it was.

The green energy emitted by each drone continued to spread out, moving out from the sides of the robots until energy met approaching energy. To J'onn's surprise, the energy melded together until there was nothing but a solid wall of energy. Then the stoic Martian saw that there was another direction the solidifying energy was going.

Up,

"_Hey, anybody have any idea what this is? I'm hitting it but I'm not getting through!_" Flash reported in. "_I'm punching. I'm hitting. I'm hitting at _close_ to full speed. Wait, let me try…. Nope, I can't vibrate through this thing. What is it?_"

"_Keep trying, Flash. Hit it harder!_" Hawkgirl responded.

Meanwhile, the growing wall of energy continued to rise higher and higher into the air. J'onn's proverbial gut began to warn him that despite all this, something bigger was at play. Then he noted the curve…

These robots! They had all lined up! Their positions had been deliberate so that they could begin this!

Concentrating, the Martian enhanced his body, making it heavier, stronger. Directing himself downwards, he rushed towards the nearest robot, swinging his fist forth with a mighty effort, and striking the automaton. His arm trembled, bouncing off the surface and tremors continued to run up and down the limb. There was nothing to show for his efforts

Shifting his molecular structure, he attempted to slip into the robot, planning on tearing apart the internal circuitry, except for once he was unable to penetrate. Surprise consumed him; this hadn't happened before. Intangibility always meant that he had access to many areas, including the ones no one wished for him to be in.

To be denied…

"Target the robots! Quickly!" he roared into his communicator. "However you can, we have to stop them!"

Above, the wall of energy climbed higher and higher.

* * *

It had been slow, and almost unnoticed. However, now, all attention was on it. All around Metropolis, a green-colored field of energy surrounded the city. It was a perfect circle as the light cut through buildings at seemingly random angles. Shayera just happened to be on the outside looking in and only saw a green-tinged city.

However, she was low enough for her hawk-like eyes to spot people crowding around various areas of this circular-like shield. Naturally these crowds were where people could gather, like streets and the tops of buildings. People on the outside appeared to be pounding to be allowed through the shield even as people on the opposite side fought to get out of it. That was an odd thing to see until she realized it was most likely people trying to help the others trapped, be it family, friends, or total strangers.

It wasn't until the Thanagarian found a more intimate sight, that of a woman and a child. Both were beating on the shield, the shrill cries of the child on the outside reaching her ears. The woman—the mother she assumed—had her mouth opening and closing, just like the child, but no sound was reaching the redhead's ears.

The very sight told Shayera just how bad this looked and was. A child was helpless, separated from his mother. Too many bad things could happen to him without her protection. On the flip side, the same could be said of the mother. While she wasn't familiar with the good and bad parts of Metropolis—let's face it, every city had those areas, even the shining bastion of the City of Tomorrow—she couldn't take that chance.

Descending, Shayera landed a short distance behind the child, sure to put herself in the view of the mother. The woman spotted her almost immediately and mouthed, "Thank God," before resuming her pounding. The child was oblivious to the winged woman.

That was until the mother began pointing over and over. It took the little boy several moments, but then he eventually turned around. He spotted the heroine quickly, but seemed to cower away from her. Shayera wasn't sure if that was a good thing, or a bad thing.

However, she did slowly approach him, making sure to keep both of her hands out in front of her. "It's okay," she said as soothingly as she could. "It's alright. I'm here to help."

The child whimpered, pressing himself up against the shield.

"Is that your mom?" she tried again. "Can you tell me if that's your mom?"

"Yes," the boy managed to squeak out.

"I can help you get back to her," she said. "I'm just going to come up to the shield, alright? I promise, I won't hurt you."

The child didn't respond.

Slowly, Shayera approached the shield until she was right next to it, the boy perhaps a foot or two away. Which was alright since she didn't want to terrify him anymore than he already was. Cautiously, she pressed a hand on the shield. Despite it seeming to look made of light, it was solid to the touch. Keeping her hand against it, she drew her other hand back and made it into a fist. Then she punched the shield as hard as she could.

Pain shot up her arm, though Shayera ignored it. It wasn't any different from punching a wall when she was angry, so it was a minor nuisance at best. At least she knew her physical strength wouldn't be enough.

"Little boy," she then said to the child. "I'm going to try something, okay. But to do it, I need you to step away from the shield and get behind me. Can you do that?"

The boy by now was watching her with wide eyes. At first he didn't budge, not until Shayera urged, "I need you to be behind me. What I'm about to do might break this shield and I don't want you to get hurt. Please, get behind me."

She then looked to the mother and began gesturing to her, pointing a finger at the boy and moving the same finger behind her, all the while placing her other hand on her shaft of her mace. Thankfully the mother got her meaning and began gesturing for the boy to do as was asked of him. Slowly, the boy began to move away from the force field creeping in a large arch until he was behind the Thanagarian.

Shayera then got into a stance, holding her mace up in the air. Electricity began to dance all over the weapon's head as she gripped both hands on the shaft. "Haaaaa!' she shouted as she swung the mace, slamming it against the shield.

Unlike her fist, the shield responded. At first it seemed to bend from the blow before it pushed back, a ripple spreading outward before returning back to the impact site. Oh great, this thing absorbed force.

Glancing to the mother and boy, she saw them watching her expectantly. She honestly couldn't give up after one blow, even if she knew what she was dealing with. At the very least, they needed to feel some kind of hope.

So she drew her mace back and began to wail on the force field with everything she had.

* * *

The Justice League fought to no success. A.R.G.U.S. began turning its missiles onto the green-glowing wall, but ended up with the same results. A safe distance away, Luthor watched through the windshield of the Lancer, completely distracted by the sight. Even his progress on hacking had come to an abrupt stop.

He had never seen anything like this before.

It was a force field, it had to be based on its appearance. Currently, it was starting to curve, forming a half-spherical top. It was rapidly closing up, separating everything on the inside from the outside.

The skull-designed spaceship descended, its long tentacle-like appendages stretching out until they placed themselves on top of the green force field. It was quite the sight to behold, and instinct all but said that whatever came next would be monumental. All you could do was watch, powerlessly, as fate, destiny, or wild scheme came to fruition.

The inside of the force field began to glow brighter, energies within beginning to distort everything inside. Luthor felt his heart rate increase, his eyes widening as the large section of Metropolis contained within the shield became distorted and blocking off by shimmering power.

It was over in an instant. As light intensified to its greatest extent, it all shot upwards and into the skull ship, leaving nothing but silence behind.

Silence, and an enormous, circular crater with the smoothest sides ever seen stretching downwards and vanishing into a black abyss.

"NO!" the CEO cried out, pushing forward in his seat, and held back only by the straps of his safety harness.

Metropolis had a gaping hole in it. Land, city infrastructure, _people_, all of it gone. Most of it had been _his_ property, _his _people, _his_ Metropolis.

Gone. All gone.

Horror, shock, and anxiety soon gave way to anger. Not an explosive kind, but one that boiled and crushed beneath the surface, gathering pressure before detonating in a rage that was feared by all but a boy scout. Speaking of…

Luthor broke the silence that had fallen between him and Mercy, the constant hum of the prototype long since ignored. "This is a job for Superman…"

He felt Mercy turn towards him, her eyes saying only that she was waiting for him to finish. Luthor turned to look back at her, his green eyes filled with undying hatred and rage.

"...so where the hell is he?!"

* * *

Author's Note: That last line of Luthor's is one ripped off from an equally great story, _Forever Evil_. That storyline really made me warm up to Luthor, and I would recommend it for some entertaining reading. I find the line very fitting for this powerful moment at the League's latest failure.


	22. Opportunity

Opportunity

It was gone. In an instant, the city of Metropolis vanished in a brilliant light. Gone were the buildings, the people. In fact, Shayera could see out to what had been the other side of the city, short buildings being left, though there were a few that looked as if they had been cleaved smoothly apart. The biggest difference was the presence of a large crater, one that seemed to stretch right into darkness.

On the bright side, the shield was gone too.

Unfortunately, the little kid wailed with the disappearance of not only the city, but his mother. "Mooooomyyyyyy!" he cried as he bolted from behind the Thanagarian and ran right out into the crater, falling over the edge.

"No!" Shayera shouted before she dove over the edge. She immediately spotted the falling child plummeting towards the darkness below. Chasing head first after him, the redhead pulled her wings in tight, her arms pressed to her sides, and legs together. Making herself as aerodynamic as she could, she gave chase, her eyes focused on the wildly flailing boy.

The wind screamed in her ears as she urged herself faster, slowly closing the distance between her and the kid. She could hear his screaming faintly, but it was steadily growing louder as she drew closer to him.

Seconds seemed to pass by in record time. Her heart began to beat a little faster. She could see the ground now, the bottom of the crater, and it was starting to become a little too close for comfort.

Reaching out with a hand, then the other, the moment she was within grabbing distance she snagged the boy's wildly billowing shirt and pulled. This allowed her to yank the boy to her, where she was able to wrap her arms around him, then promptly open her wings. Immediately their freefall leveled out and the Thanagarian flew out over the crater's bottom.

"Shhhhhh," she cooed to the whimpering boy as he clutched at her. Looking at the top of his head as his face buried into her chest, she then glanced around them, taking note of how smooth the sides of the crater were, as if the very ground had been slid out of the planet rather than torn out. She had to resist the urge to clench her hands as she held the child. No need to crush his bones while they were in midair.

Swooping upwards, she made to head to the crater's edge. She wanted to get ground level at least and then figure out what she could do with this kid. His mother was clearly gone and she had no idea what his family situation was like. Once she had him safe, then she could go give the skull ship in the sky a piece of her mind.

Starting with her mace.

* * *

He was the fastest man in the world, and he had seen a lot of things. Recent events from only a few months ago had literally been out of this world...and on it too. Headache inducing things.

The quiet was new. You couldn't even hear the wind. Shock kept the people of Metropolis quiet, all staring at the big hole that had once been their city. Flash stood among them, unable to get his legs moving, running to get to what he needed to do next.

What could he do next?

Before, whenever the League came together and fought some big baddie, it didn't matter if they found themselves on the ropes. Sure, there was a lot of desperation, and when that happened, a lot of heroics came after. There was horrible stuff, brain-washing stuff, evil clowns that didn't have red balloons, but no matter how close it got, it never felt like they were at the end.

This here felt like a total loss.

All the other times had come out of nowhere or maybe they stumbled upon them. Those times they had won. This time, they knew something was coming, they got ready for it, prepared for the worst, got Batman back and everything. But it wasn't enough to stop…

...this.

This was a giant hole in the ground that they were supposed to stop. Something they never should have let happen, but did. It was something he never should have let happen, but had. He...he hadn't been fast enough. Again.

Damn it, why had this happened? Why couldn't they have stopped it? Where the ever-loving hell was GL? When was he coming back? Why wasn't he here? They could have used him! They could have...could have…

...could have still failed even with GL with them.

Normally, the speedster was so much more optimistic. Even Big Blue had trouble with that on a bad day. Or good day. But it was hard to do anything, especially since the bad guy was all the way up there in the sky, and he couldn't fly. At all. And didn't have a nice Flash jet tucked away in a Flash cave or anything.

Maybe it was because he was feeling uncharacteristically dark that a thought in the back of his head seemed to be louder. As if saying there was something else, something about to happen and that this, this big hole in the ground, wasn't the end of it. The worst had yet to come.

Normally, he'd tell himself not to think that way, that now was not the time for that. Because there was a giant, floating, skull thing up in the sky, and that the Justice League needed to stop it.

Somehow.

* * *

Like a large snow globe or a...bottle? Whatever it was, it was plugged into a large cable. Behind the glass, or whatever material it was made of, the insides glowed a subdued green, filling up all the space inside.

However, if you were to look at the bottom of this enclosure, you would see black, rising up and forming various rectangles. From where Superman was imprisoned, he could see how three-dimensional they were, his gut telling exactly what he was watching.

As the green glow faded away, an identical scaled down model of Metropolis appeared, though model was the furthest thing from it. That was actually Metropolis, or the segment of the city that Brainiac had just "acquired." If he was closer, would he have been able to see the people in there, confused and scared and calling up into the sky for him? He couldn't hear, because even his hearing had been reduced by the red sunlight exposure.

His eyes did pick out certain landmarks, like the top of the Daily Planet—_Lois_! Was she in there? Had she managed to get away in time? And Jimmy! Perry, and the rest! Noting a particular black building, his concern lessened slightly though increased for his co-workers and...loved ones. Was Luthor in there too? If he was, then he would be trying to find a way to take advantage of the situation.

Brainiac's footsteps clomped along the floor as the armored alien approached the stolen city. Green eyes peered down at his latest theft, an unnatural hunger in them that was the first emotion that the Man of Steel had witnessed so far.

"They call you 'Superman,'" Brainiac remarked. He began to lean forward, moving his face closer to the captured city. "Why would they call you that—when you are not a 'man' at all? And 'super?'" A snort, one that expressed contempt that the Kryptonian had not expected from the green-skinned monster. "There is nothing 'super' about you."

Facial muscles shifted, and Superman felt uncomfortable with the look that now appeared on Brainiac's face. It was hard to describe it, but the best the dark-haired male could come up with was, perhaps, anticipation. The way the forehead creased, the eyes lit up with life, and how soft the rest of it was, Brainiac was eager, but for what, the Kryptonian could not say.

Then, Brainiac added, "Not like me."

A cable disengaged from a port, one located just above the green forehead. From the base of Metropolis' prison, a small cable snaked out, one that Brainiac snatched then plugged into the free port. Green eyes began to twitch, the large, armored body falling completely still. Green eyes gazed down onto the city, clinically observing it in spite of the twitch.

Then Brainiac frowned.

"This data is redundant," the alien spat out, irritation clearly heard in his voice. "The culture is useless and _disgusting_." If looks could kill, then the captured Kryptonian would have been dead several times over as the city thief glared at him. "What could this world possibly offer you that you would care to protect it? Everything I have seen and observed tells me that this world, Earth, has robbed you of your full potential. You are not 'human.' You are not Kryptonian. Nothing but a brute who happens to be more physically enhanced than his peers, and nothing more."

The small cable was ejected, and the larger one replaced it. Brainiac turned his back on both Metropolis and Superman, allowing the city to remain close to its self-proclaimed protector and away from the other exhibits. Coming to a position before the holographic screens, the alien began to make preparations for his next plans.

"I have what I have come here for. Now to complete the last objective: the destruction of Earth."

Desperation energized the Kryptonian and he once more futilely fought against the bio-shell holding him. "Don't! Please! You have what you want! You have Metropolis! You don't need to kill the rest!"

"The knowledge of Earth, as useless as it is, must be controlled. No one else should have possession of it. Especially not a pseudo Kryptonian like yourself," Brainiac retorted. "This is the same process I have engaged in for 'centuries.' I am not about to do something stupid like cave in to compassion.

"However, I am feeling poetic. Over the many complete orbits and rotations, I have devised many means of planetary annihilation. For Earth, I believe I will give it the same fate as Krypton. I will destabilize its core and allow the natural gravitational forces of the galaxy to tear it apart. Unlike Krypton, this will not be an undertaking that lasts multiple orbits, but hours. After that, I shall begin with you and find out all the secrets you possess within your flesh."

"Brainiac, don't!" Superman cried out, squirming fruitlessly.

He was ignored as the alien widened his stance, his head tilted back. His next words would be the ones to seal Earth's fate.

"Commence drilling."

* * *

It was a numb feeling.

As his dark jet flew through the air, Batman stared out the side window at the crater at the heart of what used to be Metropolis. The buildings were gone, the people...gone. Just a gigantic hole that meant one thing.

Failure.

The League, the government, they had all failed. A quick check through the frequency scanner told him the U.S. fighter jets were just as crestfallen as he felt. The members of the Justice League were confirming with one another, but they too were in the same boat. No word from Luthor's aircraft, but that would be changing eventually.

And hovering above the crater was that blasted skull ship. It was almost as if it were gloating about what it had done. The long, tentacle-like appendages were drawing back to the spacecraft's body, clearly finished with its intent.

Even as Batman scowled at it, he soon began to notice a light appearing beneath it. With every passing second, it grew brighter and brighter, a brilliant green.

_What fresh hell was this?_

Suddenly, a large beam fired from the light, heading deep into the crater. An ear shattering roar rang out, almost deafening the Dark Knight despite the sound dampeners built into the cockpit. A large cloud of dirt and dust erupted from the hole, flying high into the air, almost to the point of washing over the skull ship. The very air seemed to shudder from the blast.

That's when turbulence slammed into his plane and Batman felt his aircraft be tossed aside. Immediately, he yanked on the cyclic stick, fighting to right the plane while he was sent flipping side over side. He jerked the stick one way, then the other, alarms blaring around him in the cockpit.

_C'mon, you son of a bitch, work!_

The plane suddenly jerked awkwardly. Immediately, Batman pulled the stick to the right. Thankfully enough, the plane began to move in that direction. Pushing the stick forward, he began descending, followed by it ascending when he pulled the stick back. The world around him began to straighten out until finally he was right side up and flying in control.

It seemed he wasn't the only one sent flying either. From his view, the vigilante caught sight of one of the government fighter jets. It too was flipping out of control. In fact, he watched as the canopy blew off and the pilot ejected, being sent sideways through the air rather than the preferred higher altitude. Thankfully the pilot was sent clear of his aircraft as it began falling to the ground below, where it exploded in the countryside.

Hold on, countryside?

Jerking his head around, the Dark Knight soon realized he was at the outskirts of what used to be Metropolis. Had he been hurled that far? Looking around, he was just in time to see other fighter jets either getting control of themselves, or crashing to the earth below in fiery explosions. That shockwave from that energy blast had affected everyone.

Angling his plane back to the crater, he was just in time to see the skull ship fire another energy beam into the hole, another explosion of dirt and dust flying out of it. The sound was duller due to distance, but not by much. The corresponding shockwave was not nearly as powerful either.

And then another beam was fired. Then another.

Batman frowned as he studied the sight. This was something more than just firing a weapon on a city. There wasn't a city to destroy left. So why attack the very spot over and over? All it was doing was sending dirt up into the air, and not enough to cause a climate shift either, if that was the intent.

No, this was something else. If this ship was trying to destroy stuff, there were other cities. There were other places to fire that beam for more destruction and death. Yet, with every fired blast, it was sending up less and less dirt. It was like the hole was being made deeper.

Deeper...was it actually trying to blast apart a hole? It was an ideal location after the destruction of Metropolis. But there wasn't a real purpose to making the hole bigger. There had to be another reason and he needed to think of it soon before that ship blasted a hole to China.

Batman's head jerked up. Or the core! It was trying to blast a way to the core! Much like Krypton, the purpose was to destabilize it and blow the planet up! Brainiac hadn't changed its tactics it seemed, only that it was speeding up the process.

"Attention, Justice League!" he barked into the comm link. "Brainiac's trying to destabilize the core. We have to stop it!"

* * *

The shockwave had blown them out to sea, but thanks to the prototype's technological and engineering prowess, it hadn't been far. Mercy was able to fly them back quickly, arriving back in time for the second energy beam to be fired into the crater.

Luthor did not know what this meant; he could still see clouds of dirt and debris flooding through the remaining streets of Metropolis, slowly dissipating. There was a curious lack of glass on many buildings, more than likely shattered. This was the insult to injury, and none of this would no longer stand.

They needed to get close to the ship again; the distance was interfering with the signal from his gauntlet. The plan to board was still priority, but to do that, he needed to get into the ship's mainframe. With this latest development, the tycoon was increasing his efforts to hack in. Happersen's program still hadn't produced results yet, and that was beyond frustrating right now.

Wait. There we go. The small screen he was focused on had brought up a menu of sorts, one that needed seconds' worth of translating, but the point remained.

He was in.

It was time to see about entering that ship. First thing was first, that force field needed to be deactivated, or a weakness identified. So long as it was up, everything that was planned was moot. Fortunately, that shield only blocked physical attacks and not those of a cyber nature. Now to bring up those schematics and perhaps a means to shut it down.

Another blast fired into the crater that had once been downtown Metropolis. Coincidentally, Luther had just pulled up a real-time model of the ship's force field when the status of the shield, a solid line that appeared around the model of the ship winked out. Green eyes flickered up to the prototype's windshield, seeing the alien spacecraft in the middle of firing its current blast.

Frowning, Luthor tapped in several commands. There was something to that. Why would a simulation of that force field have such a response?

In his peripheral, he noted how several manmade missiles ran into the force field, the model showing the solid line once more. That meant it had to be up. So why did the model show it disappearing?

Unless…

It would be a gamble.

"Mercy, I want you to fly us straight at that ship the next time it fires," he ordered his bodyguard and current pilot.

Mercy glanced over at him. "Are you sure?"

The bald man gave it a second's worth of thought. "Go in at an angle, not head-on. If my guess is correct, we'll have a small window of getting through that force field, once all power on that ship is diverted into that energy attack. It's short, but it comes down. That's our opportunity. Take it."

Mercy nodded, on signs of hesitation. She trusted him enough to go along with this, a sign of a loyal employee.

They didn't have to wait long. Luthor watched with baited breath as the skull-shaped ship powered up for another blast. Eyes flickering down at his gauntlet, he waited until—"Now!" he ordered.

Mercy increased speed, going in at the suggested angle. Where the force field should have been, nothing impeded them. At the same time, another blast was fired, sending less and less dirt and debris up into the air. Luthor waited until the model showed that the force field was back up before declaring that they were in. Now for the next part.

This turned out to be slightly easier. Bringing up a blueprint of the ship, he was able to identify an emergency hatch located on the side. More than likely, it was placed there for, you guessed it, an emergency. Whether it was for escape, or something else, remained to be seen, but it would be their way.

It was surprisingly simply to get it unlocked while having Mercy maneuver them close enough that the prototype's retractable bridge could be extended, clamping down on the side of the ship and sealing itself against it, depressuring in the process.

Luthor pressed forward with the hack, disabling security around the immediate area of their boarding. To do more would be to risk detection, not just physically but on the cyber level as well. Doing this was risky enough as it was. Not that Luthor didn't expect a fight; he fully planned on there being one.

"Get your weapons ready. We're about to say hello," the CEO remarked as he closed off the computer in his gauntlet. A hand went to the gun holster on his chest and removed the firearm it carried. A quick check of the weapon was made before he unstrapped himself from his seat and got up.

You only had one chance to make an impression, and Luthor would be sure he wouldn't make the mistake of forcing one. Whatever secrets were on this ship would be his, and he wasn't leaving until he made the excursion worth his while.

* * *

A couple more missiles fired from the flying wing. Batman watched as they soared towards the skull ship, only to collide with that infuriating shield, exploding into balls of fire, but doing no damage whatsoever.

Further away, the vigilante spotted flashes of light all over the force field. White light indicated J'onn using his Martian Vision, though it was clear even from this distance that the attack wasn't breaking through. There were frequent flashes in a small area with quick pulses of light—Hawkgirl smashing her electrified mace and having the same results as the rest of them. He couldn't see Diana from his current position, but no doubt she was trying to break through as well.

Flash was not in a position to be of use at the moment. That must have been killing the speedster, but that's what happened when you weren't able to take flight. Checking his own systems, Batman saw he was low on everything. Missiles were in the single digits; he could still count them on two hands, but barely. Bullets were down too, so he would need to act sparingly with them. Seeing as he wasn't able to do any damage, it was best to save what he had until he knew he could do something with them.

And still, the skull ship fired its laser cannon right into the Earth's crust unhindered.

There was something he was missing, he just knew it. A weakness, an entry point, something. How did they stop this thing? Could they stop this thing? With every passing second, it seemed the answer to those questions were not favorable.

And then something caught his eye. Glancing towards it, he saw a ship—Luthor's—gliding through the air. What was he still doing here? Aside from some evasive maneuvers, Luthor's flying knockoff hadn't done much to aid the battle. In fact, it seemed like it was biding its time, watching the skull ship.

Watching…

And then it suddenly picked up speed, heading right for the skull ship. Batman watched intently at this sudden change in behavior. What was Luthor doing? He wasn't using any of his plane's weapons, so it wasn't to break through the force field. And speaking of, if he didn't change course very soon, he was going to crash right into it.

And yet, he didn't deviate his trajectory in the slightly.

"Wait, don't!" Batman cried out as he watched in horror as Luthor's ship plowed right into the force field. He knew Luthor couldn't hear him, but that still didn't stop him from doing it.

Except...Luthor's ship didn't explode. Immediately it veered off course, just as another blast fired from the skull ship. Once the beam was over, Luthor began closing in on the skull ship, not the least bit hindered by the shield.

_What the hell?_

Luthor had gotten through—how? That force field was clearly in place and yet he passed right through it as if it weren't there. That didn't make any sense at all. The skull ship was surrounded by all sides at all times by its force field. Luthor should have crashed into it. The shield clearly didn't allow anything in as the League's attacks had proven. It allowed things out though, as proven by the multiple energy blasts it had fired.

Or did it?

Batman narrowed his eyes. As he recalled, Luthor had appeared to be waiting for something just before he had bolted for the force field. Had he been waiting, or had he been timing himself? If the latter, then the Metropolis billionaire had realized something about the force field that the vigilante had not.

So what did he know? The force field stopped external attacks. That was certain. The only exception was Luthor's ship passing through it. It was assumed it allowed internal attacks to pass, though Luthor seemed to have timed his passage just before the previous blast.

Now there was something. The timing of passage and the beam, they were key. What if the force field wasn't there when the energy beam fired? What if it was dropped moments before the laser cannon fired? That would certainly explain Luthor's behavior and his passage of the shield.

This needed to be confirmed immediately.

Spotting movement, Batman caught sight of Diana pounding her way along the shield. She was the closest person and perhaps the only one he could keep a visual on for this. "Diana," he hailed.

The Amazon responded immediately. _"What is it, Batman?"_

"I saw Luthor bypass the force field. I'm not certain, but I think he found a point where the force field was dropped, just prior to the firing of the cannon. I need you to confirm this."

"_On it," _was his only respond. Keeping his eye on the dark-haired woman, he noticed she had stopped punching the shield, instead keeping her hands pressed against it. Seconds became minutes before she suddenly moved forward, right through the area where the shield was.

Immediately, Batman jerked on the stick, flying right for the Amazon. Pressing a button, he fired the after-burners on his flying wing, picking up speed in an instant. The cockpit began to rattle from the forces pressing against the aircraft.

And then he was passing right by Diana, just as another large beam was fired. Angling the flying wing, he avoided the blast, the aircraft rattling even harder now before it calmed down.

They were through.

"Diana, on me," he barked over the comm. He pulled back on the stick, ascending upwards towards the skull ship. It was time to catch up with Luthor and then see about putting a stop to Brainiac's scheme.


	23. Intrusion

Intrusion

The skull ship drew closer. Diana raced like a missile towards it, approaching it at a site above its energy cannon. Batman had flown off towards another area, attempting to locate the place Luthor had boarded.

Arriving, the Amazon began skimming by the ship, looking for a weak point. Considering all of the smaller ships that had been launched, there had to be a docking bay somewhere. The doors to that bay would be their best shot. Normally Diana would have simply made her own entrance, but if she were going to have Batman with her, they needed a place for him to land his Batwing.

It took a few minutes but eventually she found a set of closed doors, ones the showed a top and bottom side. Hovering before them, she eyed the large bay doors, looking for anything that would allow her access. Not seeing anything, she opted for the tried-and-true method of making one. Drawing a fist back, she then rushed the doors, slamming her fist against the doors.

Instantly, the doors dented from her blow. Drawing her other hand back, Diana began pounding fist after fist, making the dent bigger and bigger until a crease appeared between the doors. Placing one hand on one side of the crease and her other hand on the other, she then began pulling them apart, creating a bigger hole.

Soon she had a hole large enough for her to slip through. That wasn't enough for her though. Placing her feet on the bottom door, she then grabbed the top portion, her body coiled. Then she began to straighten herself out, pushing her feet down and pulling her arms up. For a moment, she didn't move. Then came a groaning sound and the doors began to open against their will. Soon, the dark-haired woman had her legs extended out as far as she could stretch them, her arms above her head.

Bending her legs again, she then launched upward, slamming into the top door, forcing it further upward. Soon, the entire top door was open, the bottom partially. "Batman," she then hailed over her comm link, one hand pressed up against her ear. "I've found a way in."

"_Roger that. On my way,"_ came the vigilante's reply.

Dropping her hand, Diana then drifted into the docking bay, seeing it mostly empty. There were places for the smaller fighter ships to park, three of which were still in place. There was no sign of Luthor's ship though, so it was certain he hadn't come through here. For now, this place seemed secured.

Of course, the moment she thought that, an alarm began to blare.

There was no corresponding flashing light, for that she was thankful. Many a time she would hear an alarm go off and a flashing red light would begin. That gave her a headache most times. Touching down on the floor, Diana prepared herself for an armed guard to appear.

She was not disappointed. A door on the far side of the docking bay opened and more of those drones appeared. They marched in, their metal feet clashing against the metal floor. A few raised their hands up and began firing those energy blasters of theirs.

Immediately, Diana raised her own arms up, bouncing any close blast off her silver bracers. The first ricochet flew right into the face of one of the robots, destroying it as its head jerked backwards and then its body collapsed to the floor. A few other ricochet blasts hit the walls with minimal damage, but then Diana got used to the angle and patterns the robots were firing at her. Soon, she was bouncing back each blast and hitting the drones more times than not. Eventually, this caused the robots to stop their march.

The moment they did, Diana launched herself into the air, rushing towards them as she held both of her arms in front of her, using her bracers as shields to ward off more energy beams. Rapidly she closed in on one drone, at the last second drawing a fist back and then slamming it right into the side of its skull-like head. The force of her blow shattered the side of its head, causing it to jerk to a side as the rest of its body began to follow suit. Immediately, Diana shot her other hand out and grabbed onto its extended arm, soon followed by her other hand clamping down on it. Yanking it off the floor, she began to spin around, swinging the robot onto she rammed it into another drone, knocking that one off of its feet and sending both flying away.

That left her with the remaining drones as they began to turn their bodies to fully face her. Seeing one immediately in front of her, Diana once again took to flight, rushing it and slamming right into its body. Lifting it off the floor, she forced the robot backwards, crashing into one of its comrades right behind it and hauling it off the floor as well. Another one joined the group she collected and Diana forced them backwards until they smashed right into the wall. The force in which they hit caused the robots to shatter, their bodies crumbling into different parts to the floor.

Spinning around, Diana raised her arms in time to begin bouncing away more of those energy beams, her arms becoming a blur as they moved in an intricate pattern familiar to her.

That was when a hail of bullets suddenly struck the robots from behind. Their bodies began to jerk and dance spastically as the bullets tore through them, a few of which exploding from the damage of the others crumpled to the floor. Keeping her arms up, Diana looked between them and saw the Batwing slowly entering the docking bay. It seemed Batman had found her.

As the dark jet landed, the canopy slid open and the Dark Knight hauled himself out, dropping to the floor next to it. He then approached her, cape surrounding his body as he surveyed the remains of the drones. "You didn't take your time finding the guards," he remarked.

The Amazon smirked at him. "What can I say, trouble has a way of finding me."

Batman continued his observations, not even so much as offering her a smirk for her quip before he said, "I don't see Luthor's ship."

"He must've have entered somewhere else," she supplied as an answer. "Shall we go find him?"

He gave her a sharp nod. "We shall."

* * *

It was like looking at another world, but it was one that truly, and utterly, fascinated Luthor. Yes, there was a chill in the air, but there had to have been a way to insulate the metal confines of this place, one that would ensure that the cold acted as ventilation rather than a result of laziness.

There was a certain lack of decoration, as if the creator had not cared for personal flourish. There was no mark to found, no signature to see, or another that indicated pride in the construction of this marvel.

His awe aside, the CEO was on a mission, one that he was inputting into his gauntlet.

"I'm doing a quick scan, seeing if I can't download anything from the ship's central mainframe. I'm putting a priority on anything that gives a layout," Luthor told Mercy, not looking up at his chauffeur and bodyguard.

"Can you find any signs of security?" Mercy responded, on guard and constantly checking their bleak surroundings.

It was a very practical question. Had Luthor been the builder of all this, security would have been a must. "I'm already scanning for any threats. So far, we're undetected."

And he preferred to keep it that way. Fighting and pointless violence were so beneath him, but he did understand the need for force every once in a while. Words, negotiations, persuasion, and coercion were all his preferred methods of handling any situation. However, there were always those stubborn fools who thought they were either better than him or flat out resisted.

There was a reason why LexCorp was one of the largest global conglomerates. When words, proposals, and '"understandings" failed, brute force often tended to pick up the slack.

It was another reason why he kept himself fit. You never quite knew when a healthy lifestyle came back to provide dividends.

Tapping the keypad, the infiltrating tycoon focused on the cyber aspect of this operation. So far, his intrusion was undetected; definitely a bonus for Happersen was in the immediate future. The researcher had designed the program to blend in with the cyberstructure from which it had been inspired by. If nothing else, it would buy time before they were detected.

"There we go," Luthor praised. On the small screen, a map of the ship had appeared, zoomed on to their current location. Now for some digital wizardry. It was time to find the grocery store of this fantastic place and do a little shopping.

It was maybe a moment later, but he seemed to have found something promising. "This way," he instructed Mercy. Holding his gun in front of him, Luthor took the first steps forward while his bodyguard picked up the rear.

So far everything was going according to plan, with an exception. Much of his city may be gone, but if he played his cards right, he could still come out on top. LexCorp had multiple branches located throughout the country and across the globe. Bringing back some goodies ought to fill the rage-filled hole in his chest. And perhaps, maybe he could stop this invasion single-handedly. His name would be back on the lips or every man, woman, and child, and in a positive light no less. Then—

The ship slightly shook, but the tremors were enough to bring Luthor to an abrupt stop. What the hell had that been? Wait, wait, don't tell him some of the nutjobs out there decided to grow a brain and somehow figure out the trick with the force field.

"Lex, we have company," Mercy warned, and in response, the CEO looked over his shoulder and further down the hallway. Several bug-like robots had prowled into sight and were zeroing in on the two of them. Various lights of a pale red flashed, and then the ship security was descending on the warpath.

"Typical," Luthor growled as he turned around fully, aiming his firearm, and opening fire.

* * *

Much of what was left of Metropolis was emptying out, the people fleeing the skull ship's continuous blasts straight into the planet's crust. Much less dirt and dust were coming out of the hole with each hit, but that was not a good thing.

Unfortunately, even as Hawkgirl flew about, she was unable to see what she could really do about this. Her mace, while close to indestructible, was not invincible. The amount of energy being fired was strong enough that anything unlucky enough to get caught in it would be vaporized in an instant. Hell, flying too close was enough to make her want to pull back due to the intensity.

Damn it, how were they supposed to fight this thing?

Reaching her hand up to her mask, specifically her comm link, she called out, "Anybody have any idea on how we stop this thing?"

"_I'm here on the ground, and right now have bupkis_," Flash responded right away. "_I've tried some stuff. None of it worked, so I'm hoping one of you guys might have a plan._"

She hadn't expected too much from the speedster, though not because she thought less of him. She knew what Flash was capable of, or at least thought she did, and to hear he had tried anything showed that her fast friend was willing to try anything. Speed, unfortunately, was proving not to be an advantage.

."_I myself am unable to offer a plan,_" J'onn spoke up next. "_The force field resists my every effort to move through it, and while the blasts are not physical, I highly doubt I would be able to phase through it._"

Oh come on! She had hope that the Martian…but J'onn was not indestructible either. Sure, he could do that thing that made him able to walk through walls, but like he said, this wasn't something physical They needed someone or something that could not get vaporized in an instant and was able to resist the force behind the blasts too...but the only one who had even a chance was still MIA. Where was Superman when you needed him?

The skull ship was powering up another blast, and Hawkgirl viewed it as an insult. Here they were, the Justice League, and they were unable to do what they were supposed to do. What were they supposed to do against this thing, this Brainiac? The only other person with a plan had slipped off with the princess, but what Batman planned to do, she could only guess.

As the hovering ship readied to fire, she could only glare at it. Would it provide her with some clue, some kind of weakness that she or one of the other two could exploit? So far the answer was no.

Then a solid, green light appeared right in front of the ship, placing itself between the planet and the weapon. It grew and grew until a thick mass of it was floating right there, and it took a moment for Hawkgirl to realize that this wasn't some light show, but a construct.

The beam fired down and into the green construct.

To her surprise, this shield of sorts held, the energy from the blast unable to penetrate it. While not detonating, that meant the energy had to go somewhere, and it was shooting out from the sides, harmless streaking through the skies.

That's when she saw...them. At first, Hawkgirl had begun to wonder just how strong a Green Lantern ring was because there was no way a single ring was capable of that. But then she saw the black and green uniforms and the distinct lack of human traits. Whipping her head about, she kept finding more and more of them, some humanoid, others in shapes and sizes that were as far away from human as you could get. Arms, tentacles, and other appendages were held out, and telltale glows from rings she knew too well supported the giant shield while others were used offensively against the small forces.

This was a veritable army, the Green Lantern Corps coming out in force.

"Hawkgirl!" one of the Lanterns called out, and in no time, John glided to a stop before her. "What's the situation? We just got here!"

The situation? Gesturing out to the destroyed city below, "You're late, that's the situation! We've already lost Metropolis and now Brainiac's trying to destabilize the core! Were you taking your sweet time getting back here or something?!"

To his credit, the Green Lantern showed no signs of being cowed. His gaze did flicker downwards, causing a slight grimace. "All that matters is that we're here now. We can still save Metropolis, but first we need to stop Brainiac."

Hawkgirl blinked at the dark-skinned human. "Save? You're too late! We've already failed! Metropolis is gone!"

"Listen to me," John commanded, his tone silencing her. His glowing green eyes stared at her down, refusing to fight her anger. "Brainiac doesn't destroy cities, he shrinks them. He has it in that ship, so first, we have to stop it before it can try to escape. We can still _win _this."

There was quite a bit of force in the Lantern's words, and all the emotional turmoil made her usually sharp mind a little slower than normal. Shrank? As in, that large hole in the ground had been shrunk? Wait—he? But wasn't Brainiac some AI program?

"_Whoa, GL, you came packing! Nice!_" Flash exclaimed. "_No wonder it took you so long getting back, you brought a freaking army!_"

Lowering his tone, John said, "Shayera. I need you to focus and get your head back into the game. We can still win, but we need everyone on deck. So long as we can keep Brainiac here, we can stop him from attacking another planet. We can end this today, but only if we're calm. Are you ready to kick some ass with me, or not?"

The last words were what brought the Thanagarian back to the present moment. Gripping the handle of her mace, she hefted the weapon up and gave a small smirk. "Point me where I need to go."

"Hey, John! It looks like we have company!" a Lantern called out, directed their attention to a new wave of aerial fighter being released from the skull ship.

"I think that's a good start right there," John said, balling his hand into a fist, his ring beginning to intensity in its glow.

She couldn't agree more.

* * *

"This was unexpected."

The Coluan observed the arrival of the Green Lanterns, and watched as the self-policing force of will-powered warriors blocked the firing of his ship's cannon, preventing further penetration of the planet's crust. In time, he was sure that he would be able to break through, but it was an effort that would cost too much time and was highly inefficient now.

Focusing his mind, Brainiac issued the commands necessary to release more of his forces. There was an emphasis on those with flight capabilities, and the objective was to engage a hostile enemy force.

There was only one reason for the Corps' presence: his apprehension. Brainiac was well aware of the Guardian's attempts to track and incarcerate him. It was why he had deliberately sought out and incorporated stealth technology into his ship. It had also served as further motivation to increase efficiency in his collections.

This did not mean he had allowed himself to become idle in the meantime. It had been anticipated and planned for that the Green Lanterns would eventually catch up, whether it was through an ambush, careful calculations, or sheer dumb luck. There was a part of the Coluan that desired to capture several of them; the last one had not been able to withstand his experiments for very long, only allowing him to gain the most basic of information about the Corps' abilities.

Once that Lantern had expired, the ring from which all members were granted their power had escaped, and done so in an entirely unanticipated manner. Brainiac had decided then and there to not chance his freedom any more than necessary; there had been no need to tempt defeat by actively antagonizing an organization of such large numbers where an individual who knew what they were doing would eventually engage and triumph over him.

"Looks like things aren't going your way."

Brainiac paused for a nanosecond, regarding the so-called Kryptonian's words.

"This outcome had been anticipated and prepared for long ago," the Coluan answered needlessly. "The Corps' intervention does change how events proceed from here. Since drilling consumes too much time, it will be a method that is not considered for future acquisitions until such time as it becomes more efficient. For now, I will fall back to a more efficient method of planetary elimination."

There was a period of time where the Kryptonian was silent. "What are you planning?" the prisoner inquired warily.

Maybe it was because this acquisition had resulted in nothing that the Coluan could use to further enhance and improve himself, thus _wasting_ his time, but he answered the redundant question as the answer should have been clear. Perhaps the method was beyond the inferior man's cognitive abilities, but that would not stop an opportunity to educate.

"It is the more common method I have found, one far more efficient and less time consuming," Brainiac stated, inputting the commands. "It is a method of my own invention. A missile I will launch will be targeted to this planet's nearest star, its sun. The contents of the missile are a material I myself have created that is capable of unleashing the powerful nuclear energies held within the star. In effect, it releases a solar flare with the power of a supernova. It is more than enough to destroy this planet as well as the Green Lanterns present."

Any other words the false Kryptonian said or would say were ignored. They were meaningless and held no power to change what was to come. The commands were already being followed and the missile was being prepped. In minutes, it would be ready to fire and then this acquisition would be complete.

It wouldn't be the first time the shields had successfully held against this particular act. After all, it was this scenario that they had been designed, upgraded, and eventually completed to handle.

A notification brought a pause. Another unexpected outcome had materialized: intruders had managed to board without his authorization or permission. How was that possible? How had these intruders bypassed his shields? Now that was something to investigate and in the future update the shield.

The annoying buzzing from the pseudo Kryptonian started to break through his cognitions, and the Coluan found himself interrupting, "Save your strength, Kal-El. Within the span of an hour, Earth will be no more. There is nothing you, your allies, or the Green Lanterns can do to stop it."

It was truth, and there was no denying the reality. Let lower lifeforms debate it, but Brainiac had yet to fail, and all oversights, including this one, had been dealt with. The remaining mess would be addressed and then the former status quo would be reestablished.

And he would be all the more knowledgeable for it.

* * *

Large did not do the chamber justice. Neither did enormous. Gigantic was close.

Batman quickly came to the conclusion they were less in a chamber than just a large empty space, space which was filled with walkways of various levels. Though they criss-crossed across the place, not a single pathway intersected.

Kneeling on one such pathway, the vigilante ran two fingers across its smooth, polish surface. Wrapping a couple knuckles against it, he was certain it was of some metallic compound based off of the dull sound it made. Lining the edges of the walkway were lights, each one placed an even interval from its neighbor.

For a brief moment, he wondered if this alien metal was conductive.

Hearing the sounds of laser blasters, he looked over the edge of the walkway he knelt on. Down below he saw Diana standing firmly, her arms weaving an intricate pattern in front of her as she blocked the laser fire being directed at her from several drones. One such blast shot by the dark-clad man, a result of a ricochet, which he didn't even flinch from.

Ever since the two of them had boarded the ship, they had been confronted by Brainiac's guards—a veritable army of them. At one point, he had been forced to grapple up to the current walkway he was on while Diana took the brunt of their attack. That had been mere moments ago.

Pulling out a bat-shaped shuriken, Batman activated the electrical system within, causing bolts of electricity to dance over it. "Diana, get into the air," he called out before he threw the shuriken down to the lower walkway.

The projectile whirled down through the air until it hit the targeted walkway, one end of its sharpened wing embedding itself into the metal surface. By then, Diana had taken to hovering at least a foot in the air, just in time to avoid the sudden electrical current that was suddenly conducted by the walkway. In fact, the entire bridge was electrified, delivering a shock that affected every drone on it. From his perch, Batman watched as the robots seized, their upper bodies beginning to dance from the shock until they exploded. One by one, then two, then all of them blew into pieces, sending their parts flying off of the walkway and down into the abyss below.

Diana watched the show for a moment before she flew upward, arriving in front of the Dark Knight with a smile on her face. "Nice," she complimented him before landing next to him on the walkway.

Standing up, he returned gruffly, "Thanks." He then glanced around them. "I doubt that's the last of them, though."

"Ever the optimist." The Amazon hadn't lost a bit of her good humor, not even when a few more drones suddenly landed loudly further down the walkway. By his count, there were three...no, four, the front-most one already raising its arm up to again fire on them.

Diana didn't hesitate. Immediately, she hurled herself through the air, racing towards the robots before they could even fire off one shot. Letting out a war cry, she threw a fist, one that nailed the first robot in the face, knocking it to one side and off the walkway, sending it falling to its doom. Bending that same arm, she then lunged towards her next target, ramming her elbow into the drone, knocking it off balance. The entire time she remained in midair, which allowed her to swing her legs up, one of which slammed right into another robot. The force of the kick sent it flying backwards, crashing into the robot behind it, the two careening backwards until they landed further down the walkway.

That's when a loud thud went off behind Batman. Whipping himself around, he found himself face-to-face with a drone. His first instinct was to punch the thing, but he knew better. It took someone of Diana's strength to toss them around like ragdolls and he was definitely not in that weight class.

So he hesitated, which allowed the drone to raise one of its clawed hands and thrust it at his face. He reacted then, twisting his body and head out of the way of its arm while simultaneously grabbing onto it with his hands. One hand latched onto the wrist whereas the other went right into the axillary of the robot. Kicking a foot out, he landed a blow to the side of the robot's knee, which thankfully had the same construction as a human's. That was why the knee buckled, throwing the robot off-balance. Pulling on the wrist even as he raised his other hand up against the underside of the robot's shoulder, Batman leveraged the machine up into the air and threw it over the edge of the walkway.

For a moment, the vigilante watched the robot fall into the depths, but then his internal alarm went off, immediately sending him diving to a side, going into a roll over his back as he ended up on his feet. Where he had been standing, another robot landed, the metal walkway denting from the landing.

So, it wanted to play that way. Reaching to his belt, Batman pulled out J'onn's EMP device, taking aim with it at his new foe and firing the pulse. Instantly, the robot slumped where it stood, the light in its skull-like eyes going out. Good, the device worked even inside Brainiac's ship.

That's when he heard footsteps. Looking beyond the inactive robot, he saw Diana sauntering towards him, her hands on her hips. "Having fun?" she asked him as she came up to the drone, raising one foot to kick it in its side and knock it off the walkway.

"Moderately."

"So where to now?"

Suddenly, more of the laser beam flew by, miraculously not hitting either of them. Batman spin around even as he dropped to one knee, Diana suddenly rushing by him and putting herself in front of yet another armed guard, her bracers bouncing the beams away.

"This is getting old," she grumbled. "Where are we supposed to go now?"

Anywhere, but here preferably. Batman looked away from their new attackers. The current walkway didn't seem to have an end if they were to follow it, not that he wanted to with robots attacking them. Looking over the edge, he saw a similar sight with the walkway below them. That just left above.

When he tilted his head, he found another walkway as expected, but that one actually had a visible door at one end. Pulling out his grapple, he fired it towards the walkway, hearing the claw strike metal and feeling the line go taut. Hitting the retraction button, he grappled up to the new walkway, trusting Diana to follow him shortly.

As he drew near the higher bridge, he began to swing his body back and forth. By the time he reached the walkway, he had created enough of a swing to send up flying up over the edge of the metal bridge, landing on it a moment later. Disconnecting the cable, he quickly loaded another cable cartridge into the grapple. No sense in trying to retract the old line, there wasn't really time for it.

Batman then turned his attention to the doorway, just in time for Diana to join him. A few of the laser beams pelted the walkway, but for the moment they were safe from it. "Ladies first," he said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Diana replied before she passed through the doorway, the vigilante following behind her. They were soon in a narrow corridor, one that was thankfully short as they reached a set of doors. Not even bothering to open then, Diana pulled a fist back and then threw it.

The moment her fist hit the doors, they were both knocked out of their frame and sent crashing into the room beyond. Striding into it, the two warriors were on their guard.

The first thing Batman noticed were all of the cables that seemed to hang from some unknown ceiling above them. At the ends of the cables were oblong...things. Batman didn't pay them much mind as there were too many to count. It was obvious this room was quite large as well, though it was clear there was some sort of purpose for it.

Then he heard a gasp. Directing his attention to Diana, he saw her looking towards what was best described as a cocoon. Tall with smooth sides, and circular pink lights glowing along it. It curved almost form-fittingly, holding tightly onto the prisoner held within it

And peeking out from on top of it was Superman's head.

Immediately, the Amazon rushed towards the man, faster than Batman could keep up. "Superman!" she cried out, though it was apparent the dark-haired man was unresponsive.

Senses on high alert, Batman followed after his comrade, eyes darting every which way. His instincts screamed that this was a trap of some kind. No way would anyone in their right mind simply leave a restrained Superman all on his own.

It was because of this he noticed red light flowing down onto the man. Batman narrowed his eyes at the sight of them. As he arrived next to the two Leaguers, he took stock of the Kryptonian. Though there wasn't much of him exposed due to his restraints, what was visible didn't do the man justice. It looked as if he had been taken out to the woodshed and beaten.

That was not a comforting thought.

Diana raised a hand up and pressed it against the Kryptonian's face. A frown covered her own a moment later. "He's cold," she spoke. "And sweaty. Like he just broke a fever."

An illness? For some reason Batman was flabbergasted by that. He hadn't known the Man of Steel to be sick, so showing signs of illness was foreign to him. "Superman, wake up," he barked at the man.

Diana shot him a reproachful look before she said soothingly, "Kal-El, it's us. Your friends." She stroked the side of his face, her fingers brushing through his hair.

A groan came from the man and his eyelids fluttered open. "Diana?" he spoke wearily, looking dully at her before his eyes slid over to the Caped Crusader. "Batman?"

That was when a dull thud echoed throughout the room. Spinning around, Batman saw no sight of a threat, though that didn't mean much, not here. The sound echoed again, then again, imitating footsteps.

In fact, they were.

That's when Superman's eyes sharpened. "Brainiac," he growled.

As if on cue a man appeared, emerging from around Superman's restraints. His bald, green head stood out in comparison to the space-age, metallic suit he wore. Cables from the ceiling hung towards him, connecting to various ports in his head.

A blank, stoic look was on his masculine features. "So, you are the intruders," he greeted, his tone emotionless. "I must congratulate you on bypassing my shield. I was not aware that it could be breached—an error I will fix in the near future."

"So you're Brainiac," Diana returned, facing the man as she fell into a defensive stance. "The one that destroyed Metropolis."

"And you are the one Kal-El refers to as an Amazon." For a brief moment, he seemed to focus on the dark-haired woman. Then, "I have no need of you. All of the relevant files on Amazonian culture have been obtained and scanned. Further study is not warranted."

Study? Batman wasn't sure what was meant by that. That was until Brainiac turned his attention to him and repeated the process. If he seemed dull by his disregard of Diana, there was a slight disgusted tone in his voice when he said, "And you are a human—unexceptional and redundant."

For some reason the vigilante felt insulted. Maybe because he was.

"Still your tongue," Diana snarled. "You are invading our home and have harmed our friend. You will release him and leave our world."

Her words didn't faze the green man. "That I will not do. There are still many things I can learn from the Kryptonian and partially of yourself. I have already obtained an optimal sample of your planet's society and culture, so my interest with this planet has been satisfied. However, I cannot permit the continued existence of this planet."

Something about what Brainiac had said was bothering the Dark Knight. He wasn't sure what was meant by "obtaining an optimal sample" since the Justice League had practically followed the skull ship around the world until it came to its current destination.

"Metropolis…" came a tired voice. Glancing over his shoulder, Batman could see Superman looking pointedly at him and Diana. "He took Metropolis."

Took? Not destroyed?

As if in response, one of the oblong objects moved, drawing everyone's attention. "Indeed. This is my sample of your world. Rest assured I will care for it in spite of its...contaminations," Brainiac spoke.

Batman's eyes widened at the sight. As he got a better look at what was best described as a jar, he could make out part of the Metropolis skyline. And there was the Daily Planet and the LexCorp headquarters.

And then realization struck the vigilante. All of these oblong jars, they were different worlds. Every place Brainiac had ever been and subsequently destroyed, a piece of those worlds rested here.

And now it was Earth's turn.

"You will return Metropolis to us," Diana demanded, her posture becoming more hostile, offensive in stance. "Now."

"As I've already told you, I will do no such thing," Brainiac rebuffed, take a step closer to them, his stance belligerent and forceful.

"Then we will take it from you by force," the Amazon princess retorted, falling into a defensive pose, one that could turn offensive in a second.

The larger alien's eyes narrowed. "You may try, but you will find the outcome to not be in your favor."


	24. In the Sanctum of Brainiac

In the Sanctum of Brainiac

The battle had relaunched with renewed vigor. The arrival of the Green Lanterns had done much to improve morale, J'onn noted. Most of the fighting had moved into the air, most if not all ground forces breaking off conflict.

This meant that those who could fly were at a particular advantage when it came to fighting. Brainiac was putting more of a focus on aerial combat, and with ground forces withdrawing, it put more pressure on the defenders. Through pieces of information that John Stewart was able to explain in-between attacks, the Martian was able to piece together any withdrawals weren't what they seemed.

If anything, a withdrawal of force here was a grave matter. It meant that this Brainiac was getting closer and closer to destroying their world. It was motivation to fight harder, and push forward, getting closer and closer to the skull-shaped ship.

Allowing his body to become intangible, the Martian male phased through an incoming fighter, allowing a hand to become solid enough to grasp particular circuitry and mechanical parts at regular intervals, and seconds after the aircraft had passed through him, the vehicle began to smoke heavily before detonating. Tossing aside the items he had picked up, J'onn pressed forward.

He noticed how various Green Lanterns were firing at the skull ship, their green beams having yet to penetrate the force field that surrounded it. Somehow, Wonder Woman and Batman had to have gotten through it and were inside that ship. The how still escaped him, but if they were successful, the explanation would be forthcoming.

There were shrieks in the air, not organic in nature. This caused the Martian to glance to a side, finding military aircraft streaking by and firing off machine gun fire. A.R.G.U.S. was making itself known again. Observing them, J'onn watched as the fighter jets focused on Brainiac's forces, ignoring the Lanterns who would break off pursuits and give them the proverbial right of way. Missiles were fired, spacecraft exploded, and in turn jets were struck and sent hurtling down to the earth below.

Pilots were rescued either through League intervention or rescue from the Lanterns. In turn, jets were go after enemy planes targeting allies. The meshing of forces was inspiring, especially in the face of such a dire threat.

But it meant very little, he had to admit. So long as the force field remained impenetrable, then none could get to Brainiac himself. That their foe was an organic lifeform and not an artificial intelligence was a bit of a revelation, but not distracting enough.

Flying through the violence, J'onn made as much note of his could at his allies, a focus on the League. Flash was still on the ground, unable to contribute unless he could learn to fly. Earth's Green Lantern had been yet to be located, blending in with his fellow Corps members, but fighting just as hard if not harder. Hawkgirl, as it turned out, was easier to spot as she had gotten as close as she could to the skull ship and was whaling on the force field with her mace. She dodged strikes from the ship's tentacle-shaped appendages, not letting up on her assault for a moment.

The force field was the problem. What was its weakness? Its blind spot? Ending this threat meant getting into that ship. Anything—

It was a sharp sound, one that only attracted the Martian's attention but no more. His orange eyes were already seeking out the source of the sound, and found a small trail of smoke from the top of the invading ship and rising higher into the air.

J'onn frowned; what was this new development? Based on the sight alone, and compared to his existing knowledge, it appeared that a rocket had been launched. The thin trail of smoke left in its wake suggested that the spaceship was where it had originated. Craning his head back, the Martian tried to get a better look at the projectile only to do a few quick calculations and conclude that the missile was traveling at an extremely fast rate of speed.

What did it mean? So far, it did not appear as if the rocket would be changing course. Then again, of the type that did that, those projectiles will change course only in the higher levels of the atmosphere. Time would need to pass before it could be said that this was another means to continuing the battle.

As short burst of enemy fire passed by him, J'onn returned his attention back to the battle. The rocket would have to be addressed later.

Based off of Brainiac's earlier remarks, it was quite clear he didn't view the Dark Knight as a threat. Logically, that meant he was directing most of his attention to Diana, expecting her to be the primary threat.

This, Batman felt, was the best opportunity for them.

With a small pellet in hand, the vigilante darted to his left while throwing the pellet towards their foe's face. An instant before it hit the alien, the pellet blew apart, causing multiple smaller explosions to erupt in front of Brainiac. The sudden appearance of bright and loud sparks caused the alien to jerk his head, his attention breaking off of Diana.

The Amazon immediately took advantage, using her speed to suddenly close the distance between them, slamming a fist into her opponent's green face. Brainiac cried out as he stumbled back from the blow, being greeted by the left cross Diana threw, which snapped his head to a side. She followed that with another right hook, one that kept the alien off-balance.

Meanwhile, Batman had pulled out his grapple and was pulling out the grapple claw from the barrel along with several feet of cable. Skidding to a stop, he grabbed the cable a few feet from the end and began rotating his wrist. This caused the far end of the cable to start spinning, whirling the grapple claw in a circle. He then tossed the line at Brainiac, aiming specifically at his legs.

The cable reached its intended target, wrapping around Brainiac's armor-encased legs and then tightening down, the grapple claw attaching itself somewhere in the line's coils. Pulling on the cable, this tightened the coils, which pulled the alien's legs together. With an even harder tug, he yanked Brainiac's legs out from underneath him, causing the alien to topple over, landing on his stomach on the floor.

Diana had danced out of the way of the falling alien, but didn't go too far. Seeing an opening, she leaped into the air, leaning to one side as she extended an arm up, keeping it bent at the elbow. Gravity set in and she fell down towards her opponent, landing a pile driver as her elbow rammed into Brainiac's back. The green man cried out as his head jolted up along with his feet, making it look as if he were bending from both sides.

By this point, Batman had his hands on his grapple once more. As Diana rolled off of Brainiac, he hit the retraction button on the grapple, causing the cable to be sucked right back into the barrel. This also pulled Brainiac with it feet first towards the Dark Knight.

Pulling the grapple to a side, the vigilante began spinning around, which caused the alien to spin around with him. As he reached the one-eighty of the spin, the dark-clad man disengaged the grapple cartridge, which sent the alien flying across the room until he crashed into a wall with his back.

Once again, Diana was on him, ramming into his wide-open abdomen with her shoulder and pinning her foe against the wall. Visible cracks formed from behind Brainiac, spreading outward. Pulling back far enough for her to draw back a fist, the dark-haired woman began another onslaught of punches into the Brainiac's stomach and chest.

Right until Brainiac shot an arm up and caught one of her punches with his bare hand. For a moment, Diana hesitated, staring at the alien as he held her fist tightly. "Your teamwork is impressive," he complimented them. "I hadn't anticipated your joint efforts would be compatible. It is an error I will not be repeating."

That was when he shoved Diana's fist back, causing it to bend backwards at the wrist. The Amazon's eyes widened from the sharp stab of pain she must have felt as her body winced from it. That's when Brainiac rammed his own fist into her abdomen, causing her to double-over it, knocking the air right out of her lungs.

Pulling the same fist back, he then swung it upward, landing an uppercut to her chin, the force of the blow knocking her up into the air and away from the alien. He even released his hold on her hand to allow her to sail backwards through the air.

Batman didn't bother to watch where his comrade landed. Just watching that hit showed him Brainiac had super-strength and it would be foolish of him to leave himself open. In hand he had a bat-shaped shuriken, one he sent flying at the green-faced alien. The projectile whirled through the air, arching until it collided with Brainiac's temple. There was a slight flinch from the contact with the shuriken, but it went bouncing off, leaving the alien looking stoic before his eyes slid over to regard him.

Well, that hadn't worked.

"Your primitive weapons are of no use here," Brainiac spoke as he angled his body to face the vigilante. There was movement behind him before a metal tentacle emerged. It reached over the alien's shoulder, curving until its spiked tip was pointing towards him. "As for mine…"

Suddenly, the tentacle shot forward, racing towards the dark-clad man. Batman immediately darted to a side, dodging the impaling as the tentacle flew by him. He didn't wait to see what else it could do, opting to sprint at his opponent, cape billowing behind him.

Waiting until the last possible moment, he leapt into the air, going into a front flip in midair. With one leg extended out as far as it could go, he swung it downward, the heel of his foot slamming down onto the crown of Brainiac's head.

Though Brainiac bent over from the blow, even as Batman landed on the floor he could tell the alien wasn't fazed. There was no wince, no overt sign of pain. In fact, his foot was throbbing from where it had hit his foe.

That wasn't a good thing.

Without hesitation, Brainiac lunged at him. Before the Dark Knight could respond, a metal-encased hand grabbed around his throat, clamping down hard. Batman couldn't help gagging as he was yanked up into the air, dangling a solid foot above the ground as his hand wrapped around Brainiac's wrist in a vain attempt to dislodge it.

"As I said before, you are not exceptional," Brainiac said bluntly. The metal tentacle that extended from his back returned, though it hovered above him, the tip pointed right at the man's head. "One blow to the head should suffice."

Batman gritted his teeth. He hadn't expected Brainiac to weather his blow so well, not to mention the recovery time. It seemed he had made a wise choice in bringing the kryptonite-powered suit; however, there was a slight problem.

Diana was still here, not to mention Superman. This suit was designed to take them on and he wanted its capabilities to be a secret until he had to use it against them. Now though, he would be showing them what it could do, damn it all.

That was if he had enough time to activate it before he had a spike jammed into his brain.

Before he could act though, Diana sprung back into action. Sailing through the air, she rammed into Brainiac from the side, knocking him away as he reflexively let go of the vigilante's throat. Batman dropped to the floor, going to one knee the moment he landed as he began to cough, trying to catch his breath. With his eyes, he watched the Amazon princess pull back from her opponent, allowing him to get his feet back onto the floor and regain his balance. By then, she was throwing another haymaker, which slammed right into her foe's face.

Even as Diana began to wail on the alien again, because he had kept his attention on the two he saw Brainiac's eyes rapidly twitch. It wasn't just reflexive, but rhythmic. The eyes glazed over momentarily then sharpened, all of it lasting little more than a second.

And then Brainiac shot an arm up, blocking Diana's next blow. Undeterred, the Amazon threw another punch, again being blocked.

Just the sight of those blocks, however, sent a chill running up Batman's spine. Previously, Brainiac hadn't so much as offered a defense against either him or Diana, taking their blows head-on for better or worse. Now, he moved as if he were a practiced martial artist with those blocks. They weren't luck, or random flailing, they were purposeful.

Undeterred by this new development, Diana continued to punch at him, only for the alien to successfully block her attempt. He didn't exaggerate a single move as he merely moved, or rotated his arms to parry or block whatever was thrown at him.

As if that wasn't enough confirmation, Brainiac suddenly struck at Diana following another block, one of his blocking arms smooth darting towards her, his fingers straight and stiff, thumb curled into the palm. He delivered a chop to the dark-haired woman's neck, causing her to gag from the injury done to her throat.

Brainiac wasn't done, however. With the same hand, he grabbed Diana by her neck and lifted her off the floor, her feet dangling beneath her. With his other fist, he rammed it once, twice into her stomach, effectively knocking the wind out of her. Then he tossed her away, the Amazon hitting the floor and sliding across it until she came to a stop near the Dark Knight.

Something about this wasn't right. Reaching to his belt, Batman pulled out a couple of shuriken and immediately sent them flying. He watched intently as the projectiles flew towards Brainiac.

Who promptly struck each shuriken out of the air, using his metal-encased arm to block them. One arm moved up and outward, hitting the first shuriken and ricocheting it away. With the same arm, he rotated it until it was horizontal to the ground, allowing him to hit the second shuriken and redirect it right into the floor.

Oh yeah, something had changed alright; those were martial artist moves.

"You seem to have noticed," Brainiac remarked as he began to saunter towards them. Diana was beginning to push herself up, her dark hair falling over her face and hiding it from sight. "How observant of you."

"Are you just playing with us?" Batman ventured. "Your skills have improved remarkably if not."

"The answer is a simple one. I have downloaded the various styles of martial arts and hand-to-hand combat that inhabit your planet into my frontal cortex. I am now at the level of an advanced practitioner. I must admit it is quite enlightening."

That was not what the vigilante had expected; however, if Brainiac thought putting a literal file into his brain suddenly made him competent, then he was sorely mistaken. Diana had a level of competency that she rarely used against super-powered threats and he was a master of his own. Between the two of them, they'd show Brainiac just because he knew the moves didn't mean he knew how to implement them.

* * *

It had been clever, really. When guns and weaponry failed, it always fell back onto what you knew and your knowledge on how to use it. For Luthor, it was to hack into the robots' programming and make them "forget" about a pair of intruders.

While Mercy had held them off, the CEO had accessed his gauntlet and the hacking program, adding another feature that included the mechanical marvels' visual processing. From there, it was creating the image of an empty hallway, overriding other cyber security measures, then implanting the new data while recording it over the old.

To the bald man's satisfaction, the hack had worked, and if he hadn't known any better, he would have sworn that there was uncertainty among the metal rank and file. However, once they had been left in peace, another disturbance further in the ship calling for their attention, the pair had been left to their own devices.

That did not mean Luthor was arrogant enough to believe they were safe. The hack could only account for those models. Were they to be found again, another hack would have to be made, but this time, no protracted firefight would be needed.

That left some time for further exploration, one done cautiously with many halts to make sure they were not discovered a second time.

Eventually, Mercy spotted a door, and between the two it was agreed to check it out, maybe use it to rest and assess their current status. A quick check of their gear and ammunition, especially after that skirmish was needed.

So far, the hacking program was paying off dividends. Getting it to open the door, which happened to have a remarkable firewall, happened to be the strongest challenge of this venture thus far.

The time it took to hack the door was several seconds longer than Luthor preferred. There was an extra encryption that was proving stubborn. A translation was needed, followed by a second hacking, but the door was opened, and a sanctuary was found.

It wasn't the kind of sanctuary that either of them had been expecting.

The room itself was expansive, but that was a minor detail. Once the CEO took a better look, he saw numerous stands, small, but each with a different object placed on top. There was an impression of looking at a set of displays, and that had the bald man's curiosity piqued First thing was first, a quick inventory of what they had on them was needed, then exploration could begin.

"I'm about half," Mercy reported when she completed her check. "I'm reloaded with a new clip, but if everything continues as it is, I may have to use my bare hands."

Which would be highly ineffective against machine-based opponents. Human muscle could only do so much against metal.

As for himself, Luthor grimaced as he noted that his ammunition was much lower than he wanted. "You're in better shape that I am. We'll need to take a different approach leaving. Hopefully, if any of the Justice League was able to get through, they'll provide a decent distraction. The hacking program is only capable of so much, and it is only a matter of time until the security catches up with it."

Now was not the time to engage in bravado. This was all business, and sometimes that meant admitting shortcomings. However, it was in Luthor's nature to always correct shortcomings, which was the whole purpose of this venture. Turning his attention back to the room, the business tycoon began to truly look at everything here.

The feeling he experienced was as if he was in a museum. Every little stand and podium held a single object on them. Each held their own shape and form, mostly metal in nature. What could all this be?

Well, let's see about finding out.

Coming up to a stand, one that held a black and yellow-colored headset, Luthor held his gauntlet-wearing arm at the artifact and risked another hack. This time, it was for something at a lower priority, solely information gathering in this room specifically. The translation program was hard at work, and as minutes ticked by, the CEO found his patience wearing thin.

Then the small screen was able to meet his curiosity. According to the information he had just retrieved, what he was looking at was an Absorbascon. That was a unique name, but more than likely a mistranslation. Still, the description reported that this device had been retrieved from a Thanagarian outpost centuries ago, and that its purpose was to allow telepathic reading. Basically, when worn, you could read another person's mind as well as conceal yours. Very interesting.

This was definitely something to be interested in.

Hmm, there was something else. A label, to be more specific. Incorporated? What could that mean? Unless the owner of this ship had somehow incorporated this technology into it...

Picking up the Absorbascon, Luthor handed it to Mercy. "Keep it safe," was all he said, his bodyguard accepting the responsibility before he moved on.

The next object was called the Gamma Gong, a bronze and circulate disc, and its description was that it generated high intensity frequencies when struck. Promising, but its size was not feasible to hold onto. It looked like it would require the use of two hands to hold, and that was a liability currently. Onto the next one then.

A small red ring called the Bio-Genetic Ring was dismissed altogether. While its function to manipulate the physical form of the wearer was promising, its restriction to becoming an insectoid of some kind, and only for a twenty-four hour period was more than enough to turn it down. There was also a lack of "incorporated" in its description as well.

Next was a small orb with a silver-colored substance held within it. Dilustel was what the translation named it, and it was a metallic substance with an extremely high melting point and held some quantum-based qualities. The fact that it was portable was all the reason needed for Luthor to snatch it up. Certain militaries would be more than interested in this.

Several other items were passed by, though the label of "Incorporated" appeared on many of them. Stopping in front of one, Luthor eyed what appeared to be a medieval-appearing helmet, one with the upper part of the visor and two oblong extensions on either side of it. There seemed to be another translation error, because the best the translation program could name it was Promethelon. Regardless, the helmet could connect directly to the brain of the individual wearing it, and apparently download information straight into the organ.

Immediate learning that happened in seconds. Skills that could take years to master were yours for the taking in a fraction of the time. And it was also "incorporated."

He might as well take it and see what could be done with it.

The next item of interest was another clear orb, only this time the substance inside of it was black. There was no name for it, but the description revealed that it wasn't some unknown element or substance, but technology. Specifically, it was nanotechnology, and learning was it primary programed function. Well, it was small as well, might as well take that one too.

This whole trip was starting to become profitable. What else would he be able to find here?

* * *

With almost an absurd predictability, Brainiac blocked a high kick from Diana, his body shifting slightly to a side from the power of the blow, allowing him to better absorb it. Immediately, the Amazon pulled away, allowing Batman to fly in and throw a palm strike, one aimed right for the alien's chest.

With the same blocking arm, Brainiac rotated it to allow him to block the vigilante's blow. Considering the previous clash, it was a wasted move in Batman's opinion. His attacks had shown little damage in comparison to Diana's, yet their foe went to the effort to block him. It must have been the martial artist program he had downloaded into his brain forcing him to keep his defense up at all times.

Immediately, Batman spun to his right, Brainiac's left, which incidentally was the same side as his raised arm. Swinging his foot up, he timed his next move perfectly as the heel of his foot collided with the back of the alien's knee.

For once, he had actually forced Brainiac to move a step. Though physically tougher, he still had the same structural weaknesses as any human being, that being his body's construction of his knee. Due to the kick, Brainiac's knee buckles and he stumbled forward a step to rebalance himself.

Quickly raising up his left arm, keeping it bent at the elbow, he them jerked it backwards, his elbow ramming into the back of Brainiac's head. Unlike the knee, there was minimal movement caused by the blow and he chose that moment to relent his advantage and darted away.

"Your feeble tactics will not prevail you," Brainiac intoned as he turned his head to regard the vigilante. That turned into a mistake on his part as Diana came flying back in from his blindside, going in low this time. Going into a slide, she kept her legs spread apart as she closed in on her opponent, scissoring them at the last moment. Her legs collided with Brainiac's and kicked them out from underneath him, causing the alien to topple over onto his back.

Immediately, Batman charged forward. Pulling out what appeared to be two mounds of grey clay with a small timer device stuck into them, he held one in each hand as he rushed towards his fallen foe. Jumping at the last second, he went into a flip, extending his arms out in front of him to press the clay-like substance onto Brainiac's chest. He released his hold an instant later as he went into his flip, completing it a moment later and took off running. Diana was at his side almost instantly.

Seconds later and an explosion erupted on Brainiac. The force of the explosions raced outwards, Diana purposefully placing herself between the dark-clad man and it and weathering the force that hit her. Batman crouched behind her, feeling a tugging at his body, but otherwise no further force.

"Plastic explosive?" Diana questioned once the flames died down and there was only smoke where there foe had lay.

"With a ten second timer," he confirmed as he straightened out his posture, moving to stand at her side. "Though I doubt that'll be enough to take him down."

"Hopefully he's a step slower now."

Predictably, a silhouette formed within the slowly dissipating smoke. Soon, Brainiac appeared, two singe marks on his metal suit, but otherwise appearing no worse for wear. "Your tactics are beginning to bore me," he said to them. "I believe I have learned everything I can from you."

"I think not," Diana spat back as she assumed another fighting stance.

"I think so."

Suddenly, Brainiac lunged towards the two of them. With incredible speed, he closed in on them, swinging a kick right for the Dark Knight.

In response, Batman darted to one side even as Diana moved in front of him with her arms raised. Brainiac's kick slammed right into her arms and incredibly sent her flying backwards immediately.

Batman's eyes widened at the sight even as he saw Brainiac keeping his eyes on him. It occurred to him that the alien had deliberately gone at him not to attack, but to draw Diana to him so that he could knock her away.

Planting his kicking leg on the floor, Brainiac smoothly continued his offensive as he threw a punch, one Batman dodged by jumping backwards. Undeterred, the alien bent his punching arm and lunged forward, ramming his forearm into the dark-clad man, the hit sending him flying backward much like it had Diana.

Grunting as he sailed through the air, Batman began to lean backwards, swinging his feet up. Going into a flip, he completed the maneuver without even touching the ground until his feet landed on it. Skidding a few feet still, he finally came to a stop, both of his hands grasping at his utility belt.

Before he could grab something, anything, to counter, Brainiac was upon him. Throwing a fist, he slammed a punch across the Dark Knight's face, pain exploding throughout his skull as he was sent wildly flying through the air. This time, he crashed down on the floor, bouncing across it until he came to a stop.

Wincing even as he growled, Batman couldn't help but berate himself. Of course Brainiac would have come up with a strategy to take them on. He and Diana had been on the offensive for so long, he had momentarily forgotten Brainiac would eventually do the same. So far he was targeting him, no doubt trying to dispose of him quickly so that he could put all of his attention on Diana.

Glancing up, the thought was confirmed as the alien marched towards him. That was until a war cry sounded off and Diana came rushing in.

Immediately, Brainiac stopped his walking and twisted his body around, getting an arm up just in time to block Diana's attack, which turned out to be her ramming her shoulder. It was an odd move until the Dark Knight saw the Amazon throw a punch, one he realized was closer due to her shoulder being up against her foe. She was trying to reduce the distance she needed to hit the alien.

Unfortunately, Brainiac was able to defend still, moving his other arm up and catching the dark-haired woman's punch, her knuckles pressed against his palm, though his fingers remained extended instead of wrapping around her hand.

That was when Diana swung a leg up and forced her knee into Brainiac's abdomen. Immediately, the green-skinned alien doubled over from the blow. Pulling her fist back, she crossed over her body before swinging it back out, landing a backhand blow to the back of Brainiac's head, the force of the hit sending him face first into the floor.

This left the alien's legs sticking up into the air before gravity set in and forced them down. In an instant, Diana grabbed one of the legs and pulled as hard as she could, hauling Brainiac off the floor and throwing him across the chamber with a yell.

Batman watched as the alien careened through the air. Unfortunately, he was able to recover himself, maneuvering his body until he was looking in Diana's direction. A moment later and his feet struck the wall, his legs bending and coiling beneath him.

Then Brainiac sprung right off the wall, flying like a missile back at Diana. In response, the Amazon shot both of her arms up, crossing them in front of her. Brainiac reached her an instant later, his head slamming right into her silver bracers. Diana was suddenly pushed backwards, her feet skidding across the floor due to the force she had been hit with.

Hauling himself onto his feet, Batman began running towards the two combatants, even as Brainiac pulled himself away from the dark-haired woman. Setting himself down on the floor, he then deliberately turned away from Diana, keeping his profile to her even as he did the same to the running vigilante. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking impassively away from either of them.

That's when multiple metal tentacles slide out from his back. Batman's immediately tried to stop his charge, skidding across the floor until he came to a stop. As if they had a mind of their own, the tentacles lashed out at the two fighters.

Batman found himself blocking the first tentacle that whipped at him, feeling its impact before it bounced away. He had to move his arms to his other side in order to block another tentacle attacking him. On the opposite side, Diana was fighting them off the best she could, actively punching at them even as they blocked her blows.

Seeing another tentacle coming at him, Batman decided to change the script, swinging a kick, which resulted in said tentacle to bend itself and block his blow. Planting his kicking leg down, and subsequently drawing him closer to his opponent, Batman continued his offensive and threw a punch, one that was predictable blocked by a tentacle as well.

But then one came flying it and its long metal body rammed right into the vigilante's chest. The force of the blow sent him sailing backwards, a pained cry escaping his lips until he hit the floor, skidding across it until he came to a stop.

Meanwhile, the tentacles countered Diana as well. As she threw her own punch, a tentacle wrapped around her extended arm, and was quickly followed up by one coiling around her waist. She was then yanked high into the air, Brainiac turning his body so that he could arc her through the air and then swinging her down to the floor, slamming her down hard.

Damn it, this was getting them nowhere.

A soft groan reached his ears then, drawing his attention to a restrained Superman. He hadn't realized he had landed so close to the hero, but that gave him an idea. If he could free the Man of Steel, they could turn this battle around. Though he had martial arts knowledge downloaded, even a computerized alien would have trouble against three fighters.

Hauling himself up, Batman immediately attacked the restraints, feeling at the smooth yet plated sides and searching around as best as he could for anything that might be a gap. "Hold on, Superman, I'll get you out of this," he said.

"Don't think I'll be much help," the Kryptonian remarked.

Batman ignored that comment even as he continued to search for some kind of access; at least he would have had he not noticed Superman's parlor. It was terrible and pale, making the dark-haired man appear sick even. What the hell had Brainiac done to him?

His search became more urgent Though the sounds of battle raged behind him, Batman blatantly ignored them until he finally found some kind of port, perhaps an emergency release? He slipped his fingers into it, searching further until he heard a loud hissing. The cocoon opening with a loud squelch, and Batman moved quickly to grab hold of Superman, pulling him out of the cocoon-like apparatus he had been held in. The Kryptonian stumbled and slumped against him, nearly throwing him off balanced.

"I've got you," he said soothingly, even as he began lowering his comrade to the floor. "Why are you so weak?"

"Brainiac," Superman answered him simply. "He drained my powers with red sunlight. I'm about as helpful as a newborn puppy right now."

Well that was terrific. They only had a depowered Superman, not exactly a game-changer. "That doesn't matter now," the dark-haired man continued. He then pointed at the flask containing Metropolis. "We have to save Metropolis. Get it out of here."

"We can once we beat down Brainiac," Batman told him. "With him still a threat, we won't have the time to figure out how to reverse it."

Superman nodded his acceptance of this before his head jolted upward. "The missile! I'd forgotten!"

_Missile?_ "What missile?"

"The Green Lanterns came in force," Superman told him, something the vigilante was rather happy to hear. "They've managed to stop Brainiac from drilling to the Earth's core. But then he fired a missile to the sun. If it reaches it, it'll cause a solar flare to be fired right at Earth."

Batman wasn't sure how that was possible, but he wasn't going to question it. If Superman had brought it up, then it was clearly a threat and a dire one too.

So he needed to get the word out fast.

"_J'onn, can you hear me?"_ he called out with his mind.

It took a while—way too long in his opinion-for the Martian to answer. _"I he—r you, Ba—an."_

He held back a grimace. Somehow the telepathic communication was being disrupted, but there was no time to try and find a way around it.

"_Listen up, we've got a problem."_

* * *

An enhanced Martian fist slammed into the front of an enemy fighter, the spacecraft flipping over the owner of the fist instead of crumpling in as most Earth-based aircraft would have. The enemy fighter collided with another one, ricocheting off its ally and tumbling down to the planet below.

Quickly scanning the skies, J'onn searched for an area where his aid would be most beneficial. The skull ship was under attack itself, a large green construct trying to wrap around it but impeded by the force field that never seemed to falter in a way anyone could recognize. Most and more reinforcement would pour out of the ship, easily slipping through the barrier and continuing the protracted battle.

Beams of green energy, flashes of gun fire, and loud booms of detonating missiles filled the air. The sky itself had clouded over due in part to natural clouds as well as the smoke that continually rose up. From all appearances, this was a stalemate as the combined forces of the Justice League, the Green Lantern Corps, and A.R.G.U.S. held Brainiac and his forces at bay.

"—_nn, can you—ear me?_"

The Manhunter frowned imperceptibly. Had that been Batman? If so, the connection was not quite complete. Nevertheless, in the off chance, he responded as quickly as he could. "_I hear you Batman_."

Seconds ticked by. "_Listen up—ve got a pro—em._"

J'onn's frown deepened, more due to the fact that the telepathic transmission itself was cutting out, as if due to interference. It took precious seconds to put together what the dark-colored vigilante was trying to say. "_What is the problem?_" he said, his tone urgent. The sooner he could get this information, the sooner he could act on it.

"—_ainiac launched—missile. It's—ing for—sun. If it—contact, it'll—ause a—flare—des—oy the planet. You need—stop it—fore it does!_"

It took some concentration, and while doing so, the Martian turned intangible, allowing an enemy fighter to fly through him. Based on what he was able to make out, a missile had been fired and it was heading to the sun…

Suddenly, J'onn's eyes widened as he recalled the plume of smoke that had risen from the top of the skull ship. That must have been the missile! And if what Batman was trying to say was what he thought it was, they were all still in grave danger. No, not just that. This battle was not continuing due to Brainiac trying to fight his way out, but to delay. A solar flare with the power to destroy a planet, could any of them survive such a thing?

"Hawkgirl! Green Lantern! Flash! We have an emergency!" J'onn shouted into his comm link, allowing his normally stoic facade to fall if only this once.

"_What do you mean by emergency?_" Hawkgirl responded immediately.

"I just received word from Batman," the Martian Manhunter spoke immediately, not waiting for any other replies. "Brainiac has fired off a missile, one heading for the sun." Someone tried to speak up, by J'onn pressed on. "If it reaches the sun, it will trigger a solar flare, one with the capability of destroying Earth. We need to stop it immediately!"

"_How long do we have?_" Flash asked.

J'onn paused, then tried to hail Batman for the relevant information. Unfortunately the vigilante was not responding, meaning he was either occupied with something more immediate or the transmission was not getting through. Then, to the others, "I do not know. It could be minutes. It could be hours. But if Brainiac has weaponry capable of accomplishing such a feat, we cannot' assume we have time."

"_Then we need to catch up with the missile._" Green Lantern's tone brooked no argument. "_I'll go after it; I'm the only one who can handle what space can dish out._"

"Do you think you can make it in time?" J'onn found himself asking. As a plan was being developed, other details began to weigh on his mind. He had observed the plume of smoke earlier, but had since lost track of time. He had no idea how fast the missile was or how close it was to reaching its target. "I witnessed the missile being fired some time ago and had assumed it had been meant for the battle. I cannot say how fast it is travelling or how far along it is to its destination. A miscalculation right now could result with the end of this planet."

"_We can't keep wasting time. Someone has to go after it_," Hawkgirl argued.

"_Uh, guys?_"

"Green Lantern is indeed the only one who has the capabilities," J'onn spoke. "His ring does allow interstellar travel—"

"_And if I go now, I should be able to catch up_," Green Lantern stated.

"_Yo, guys._"

"_Then_—"

"_Everyone! Listen to me for a second!_"

"_What is it Flash?_" Green Lantern demanded.

"_Listen, we need to catch up to that missile fast, right? You got the fastest guy in the world on your side._" The speedster was insistent, and J'onn wondered curiously if this was not the Central City's native's way of trying to make himself useful.

"_Flash, you can't run in space,_" Hawkgirl retorted.

"_True, but that hasn't stopped me from coming up with ways to do it,_" Flash remarked. "_I got a plan. Gonna need your help GL, but since you were going up there anyway, this will make it easier. Now…_"

* * *

Even as Diana swung her fist, Brainiac was already blocking it. This didn't deter the Amazon in the slightest as she threw her other fist, aiming for an uppercut, but it too was also blocked with the same arm no less. She tried again with her first fist, but the moment her foe blocked, he was swinging his other hand up, landing a blow to her face. Stunned, she was left helpless as Brainiac drew his previously defensive arm, and then threw another punch, one that sent her flying backwards.

She hit the floor, bouncing off of it once, twice, and then rolled to a stop. For a moment, she just laid there until she began pushing herself back up. Her hair was messy, strand of it falling in front of her face. There were a few noticeable bruises too, one prominent on her left check, a few others along the exposed areas of her shoulders and chest.

And still, she did not let this stop her as she climbed back onto her feet, facing Brainiac again. She would not stop, not until one of them admitted defeat or were killed.

Batman was not naive to this. This competitive nature was his first real breakthrough when he created a countermeasure against her so long ago. She would fight and fight until she had literally nothing left and her body collapsed from exhaustion. Whether Brainiac knew this or not, he seemed quite content with allowing herself to do so.

Diana charged once again, closing in on Brainiac. However, instead of leading with a punch, she chose at the last moment to leap into the air, using her power of flight to sail up above Brainiac's head. The alien tilted his head back so that he could continue to follow her movements.

And then the dark-haired woman lashed out, going into a flip, she was hanging upside down, head-to-floor with both of her hands clasped behind her head. Swinging them over, she smashed her jackhammer blow on the back of Brainiac's skull, causing him to cry out as it was his turn to be flung through the air. Completing her flip, the Amazon landed on her feet, but then leaned backwards and rocketed into the air, giving chase with her back to the ground. By then, Brainiac had somehow gotten his feet to touch the floor, skipping over it before landing upright.

Crossing her arms over her head, she rammed right her arms right into the middle of the alien's back, once again knocking him off the ground. This time, she flew the both of them into the wall, which caused the metal to dent and then surprisingly give away, bursting apart as a hole formed. It was then that Diana pulled back, hovering before the hole that Brainiac had vanished through.

"Do you think she got him?" Superman asked as he stared at their companion.

Batman wasn't one to be overly optimistic. He didn't even respond as he highly suspected the fight wouldn't end this easily, not after everything he and Diana had thrown at him already. As if to confirm this, the sound of footsteps on metal reached their ears. Slowly, the Amazon princess began to drift away from the hole, keeping her blue eyes focused on it.

As expected, Brainiac reemerged, stepping through the hole, though he looked slightly worse for wear. There was a darkened spot to one side of his face, perhaps the early formation of a bruise that had not been there before. Regardless, Brainiac didn't look the least bit perturbed. "I grow tired of your resistance," he intoned as he came to a stop. "I cannot learn any more from you and that has made you expendable."

"I will not go down so easily," Diana warned him.

"Of that I have no doubt." Suddenly, his eyes rapidly twtiched, something that put the Dark Knight on edge. "Having experienced your fighting style, I believe I have found one that will dominate you in every facet."

And then he lunged at her. With an arm raised up, he led with an elbow strike, one that Diana defended against by shooting up both of her arms, her forearms clashing against Brainiac's and stopping him in his tracks.

That was when the green-skinned alien held his other hand back and threw a punch at her face. In response, Diana slid one of her blocking hands up, knocking the incoming fist away.

Suddenly, Brainiac shot a leg up, his knee ramming right into the Amazon's abdomen, knocking the wind out of her as she began to bend over, her chest pressing against her opponent's still-raised forearm.

Then Brainiac reared backwards before throwing his head forward, slamming his forehead against Diana's. Crying out, she stumbled backwards, her hands shooting up to her face. That was when two metal tentacles slid out of the alien's back and arched over him, rushing to grab her by her left arm.

Immediately, the tentacles flew upwards, hauling Diana off of the ground. He swung her up into the air before swinging her back down, slamming her hard on the floor. Then he yanked her back up, arching her through the air before slamming her back down again. Then with a twist of his body, his tentacles going along with his motion, he dragged her back into the air and threw her, sending her flying across the chamber and into another wall. This one dented so largely, it looked as if an imprint of her body surrounded her.

Bouncing off the wall, Diana fell to the floor, only to not reach it. Brainiac's tentacles had reached her again, one of them grabbing her by the throat. Instantly, it began to retract, pulling the Amazon towards the armored-encased alien. Before she reached him, the tentacle relinquished its hold, allowing momentum to carry her the rest of the way to her foe, only for Brainiac to throw another fist, one so powerful that her course was immediately diverted and she slammed down hard on the floor. A tremor ran throughout the room, causing even the collection bottles to rattle.

Superman stiffened next to Batman. "He's going to kill her," he hissed, even going so far as to lunge forward. He didn't get far as his weakened body barely supported him.

"Don't be a fool, Kent," Batman hissed at him, grabbing the Kryptonian by the shoulder and pulling him back. "He'll kill you, perhaps even faster than what he's doing to Diana. She can take the punishment, but you can't, not in your current state."

Superman growled, but he didn't make any other stupid move, like trying to fight Brainiac. "If only I had some sunlight," he groused.

"And what makes you think he wouldn't be able to adapt to you like he is Diana?" Batman countered. "He has every known fighting style in his database and can download them to...to…"

It was a credit to Superman that he noticed the Dark Knight trailing off. "What is it?" he demanded.

The vigilante didn't respond, instead reaching to his belt and pulling out a palm pilot. Activating it, he pulled up a program and got to work. "Diana just needs to hold on. I think I know how to beat Brainiac."

"Then you better do it fast. I don't think she can take much more."

As a touchpad keyboard appeared on the screen of the palm pilot, Batman began tapping his fingers. He wasn't well-versed in the program, but he was going to have to learn on the fly. As far as he knew, this was their best—and last—chance at winning.

In the meantime, Diana stirred, though she didn't get up off the floor. "You are beaten, Amazon," Brainiac gloated blandly. "Surrender yourself and I promise you a swift death."

That had been a poor choice of words. Diana's eyes snapped open wide before she lashed out with one of her hands, aiming to knock Brainiac's legs out from under him. Unfortunately, he merely raised a foot, one that took the full brunt of her blow, and stopped it in its tracks. He then deliberately stepped down, his foot forcing her arm to the floor and pinning it there. Then he put his entire weight on that foot as he raised the other, then slammed a kick into her side. She cried out, even as her body jolted from the blow.

The palm pilot's screen was flashing, different images appearing and disappearing across it. Batman largely ignored them until a window appeared much sooner than he had expected. He was in the mainframe. Now he just needed…

Again and again, Brainiac kicked Diana, each time the dark-haired woman crying out. Then he backed away from her, stepping off of her arm, only for his tentacles to return and latch onto her, lifting her up into the air before him. "You have nothing left," he spoke.

"Bruce, hurry up," Superman pressed.

"I'm almost there," he replied, fingers dancing more intently on the screen.

Another tentacle appeared, this one with a spiked tip. "Rest assured that I will do my due diligence and study your anatomy and physiology thoroughly. I do not presume to learn much, but to borrow a colloquialism from your world, I am not one to leave any stone unturned."

"Whatever you're doing, do it now!" Superman shouted.

Batman hit one final key and looked up. "It's done."

Brainiac paused as he held Diana, then his eyes twitching rapidly once again.

And then the changes presented themselves.

Brainiac's normally stoic face went slack, his mouth opening as drool began to leak out of the corner of his mouth. His arms and legs began to spasm, random muscles twitching underneath his armor, though not visible. For a moment it looked as if the alien would collapse, but his suit kept him upright.

However, his tentacles went slack and released Diana, who somehow managed to land on her feet. One eye was swollen shut, but the other was open wide as she stared. Garbled noises came out of Brainiac's mouth, unable to create formed words.

"Diana! Do it now!" Batman barked.

Without needing further prompting, the Amazon drew a fist back and swung it, hitting Brainiac as hard as she could. The blow rang out throughout the room as Brainiac was lifted off the floor, flying backwards before landing hard on the floor. He didn't so much as twitch from where he landed.

The three comrades stared at their fallen foe. "What did you do to him?" Superman asked after awhile.

"I realized that Brainiac's mind was connected to his ship's mainframe," the vigilante explained, even as the three of them began to gather around each other. "Luthor had mentioned creating a hacking program and I looked into it. The program you saw me used allowed me to hack into Brainiac's mainframe and download a file directly into his brain, which left him with the physical capabilities of one man."

"And which man was that?"

A smirk appeared on the dark-clad man's lips. "Professor Stephen Hawkings."

There was a silence before Diana actually chuckled. "I've never hit someone with a neurodegenerative disorder before."

"I'd be surprised if you had," Superman said. "So now what?"

"First thing's first, we get you into sunlight," Batman responded. "The sooner we have you back at one hundred percent, the better. I've contacted J'onn about that missile, but there's no telling where they are with stopping it."

Diana frowned. "What missile?"

"Not a good one," the Kryptonian told her. "So what's the best way to—"

There was a sound, like creaking metal. Immediately, all three of them looked to Brainiac and saw he was beginning to move. "He's still not down!" Superman exclaimed.

Damn it, he hadn't expected this. "Brainiac's undoing the programming." Taking into account the alien lived and breathed through technology, it was likely he'd be at full capacity within a minute.

They needed to act now.

"Diana, get Superman out of here," he ordered. "I'll try to hold him off."

"What?!" the both of them shouted, which was followed by:

"You can't fight him on your own!"

"He'll kill you!"

Batman hardened his expression. "Diana, you're the only one that can get Superman out of here and into sunlight as fast as possible. I don't care if you have to rip a hole through every floor, every wall, every ceiling, just do it. I can hang on long enough for you to get back. Now go!"

The two heroes looked to each other, defiant looks on their faces. It was clear they didn't want to go, but he wouldn't give them the option. "It's either me, or the world, and this is the best plan we have. Now get out of here before we don't have that choice."

"You better not die," Superman warned him before he held an arm out to Diana, who merely moved to place it over her shoulders her own arm wrapping around the dark-haired man's back. "We'll be back," the Kryptonian said before the two of them lifted into the air and flew towards the door.

Batman didn't watch then, only keeping his eyes on Brainiac as his body began to spasm and jerk around until it settled again. Then he began to climb onto his feet. "You dare tamper with my programming," he hissed, anger evident in his voice.

Reaching up to his gauntlet, Batman tapped a couple buttons. In response, a green light began to glow around the Bat Symbol on his chest. More light appeared on the back of either hand, running up his arms to the shoulders. The edges of his triangle blades lit up with the same green light. "Before this is over, Brainiac, you're going to find that I can do more than just tamper with your mind.

"Starting now, I'm going to show you how a real martial arts expert fights."

* * *

FlackAttack: Life happens, what can you do? You make a very good point about the Metropolis perspective, and I knew I was forgetting something. That's a fault of mine, unfortunately; I sometimes put too many characters into a story, then forget about them until it's too late.

The comics have never gone that far into detail about how Brainiac supports the cities he's taken. There's nothing ever mentioned about issues you've brought up, and as best as I can tell, it's close to some kind of stasis. Like the people are frozen in time but they can move about and continued whatever lives they have under the new circumstances. Again, nothing I've found has mentioned anything about support systems. Thanks for coming back and reviewing.


	25. Cusp of Destiny

Cusp of Destiny

While it wasn't necessarily cleaning out, the new acquisitions in Luthor's grasp were certainly a haul. Combine that with the data that was constantly being downloaded into his gauntlet, and this venture may prove to be the profitable one.

Now was the time to leave while they still could.

Due to being in a hostile location, Luthor had to restrict himself in what he would be carrying back. The idea of bringing a burlap sack had not occurred to anyone until it was suddenly very relevant. That would have to be rectified so as not to cause something as embarrassing as this to happen again.

What it meant was that he could only bring five, six items tops. It was the most that could be done without compromising either his or Mercy's ability to fight back against any robots or drones they came across. Escape was the primary objective now, and being alive was crucial to completing that objective.

Making eye contact with his bodyguard, Luthor stated, "Let's make this quick. We need to get back to the ship with all acquisitions in hand. All need to be accounted for. Keep your eyes sharp for company."

Mercy gave a sharp nod. In one hand, she held up her firearm, ready to discharge it in a second's notice. With her other arm, she held a couple of Luthor's choices, one of which was the orb of nanotech. For the CEO's part, he held the rest of it, including the helmet with the Greek-esque name. He wasn't about to put it on his head anytime soon; who knew what its capabilities were? He was not about to make himself a guinea pig for science anytime soon.

That was what people were for.

"I'll lead the way," Luthor continued, glancing down at his gauntlet and the digital map that he had been able to complete of this ship. It should be able to lead them back to their exit and to friendlier skies. Hopefully, the idiots fighting outside were almost done.

That still left the question of where to go next; Metropolis for the most part was gone, annihilated in a green-colored flash of light. Yes, there were other branches and locations of LexCorp, but none were Metropolis, his crown jewel.

That would be for later, however. Now, now was all about leaving while keeping his head. Everything else could come later.

* * *

Earth was slowly becoming a distant memory, and one that would only be pushed to the back of his mind. Green Lantern needed to concentrate, and remain that way until the threat was over. The rest of the League and the Corps would have to handle Brainiac for the time being.

Brainiac's missile needed to be stopped. Who knows what it would unleash if it did reach the sun. This whole Brainiac mess kept bringing out new twist after new twist, and right now, the dark-skinned man was not about to rule out manipulation of solar energies from this thing.

Normally he would be gliding through the endless expanse of space, head first, and ignoring the stars all around him. This time was different. For one thing, his destination was a star, the sun itself, which gradually grew bigger the closer he moved to it. Second, he was aiming his ring in front of himself, constantly creating a strip of track that moved beneath him, fading away when he moved too far away.

Lastly, there was the green construct of a tether that attached him to Flash, the speedster running along the track without missing a step. He had to admit, this was faster than his trip to Oa. They may be able to catch up to that missile before it got too close.

Running in space was different than on Earth. For one thing, friction was a thing, but a blessing and a curse to any running. Friction was what allowed you to take that first step and the next while at the same time resisting your every move and slowing you down. One form of this was air resistance, a fact that slowed even the fastest of aircraft.

But up here, where there was no friction, it had to be made so that a speedster could do what they did best. At the same time, there was no other form of friction, like air resistance. This meant that Flash could run faster than he normally could on Earth, and without friction to slow him down, he could only move faster and faster.

"Hold on, GL!" Flash called back over his shoulder, the ring's power providing a glowing shell of protection from the natural forces of the universe. "I may not be able to run the speed of light, but I'm gonna get us close!"

Because light from the sun took eight minutes to reach Earth and Flash was going to try and cut it all down to thirty minutes, "tops."

Green Lantern grunted and focused, doing his best to remain tethered to Flash and giving the scarlet speedster all the friction he could. While this wasn't the hardest thing for him to do, he would rather concentrate on keeping the two of them together until they finished this.

They were heading to the sun, a well of gravity and nuclear energy. There were so many ways this could go wrong, and only one where it went right.

* * *

"You do not stand a chance against me," Brainiac warned. Even as he began to stride towards the Dark Knight, he continued his bluster. "You did not stand a chance with your more powerful allies and you certainly do not alone."

The vigilante held his ground, even as his approaching foe took a swing at him. Immediately, he shot an arm up and blocked the attack, not even flinching from the contact. The reinforced armor absorbed the impact, diffusing it, and rendering it no more powerful than a gentle tap.

There was a flicker across Brainiac's face, one of puzzlement, right before he drew his other fist back and threw it. This time Batman ducked the punch, allowing it to sail over his before he moved his blocking arm to move right behind the extended arm, preventing it from performing a backhanded blow. With his other arm, the vigilante threw a punch right into Brainiac's side, a kidney punch that reverberated through his body thanks to the kryptonite-powered suit he wore.

Instantly, Brainiac cried out, his body flinching from the blow. Batman slammed another punch into the alien's kidney, causing another flinch and cry. Then he aimed another punch that landed against his opponent's ribs, just below the armpit, which forced some air out of Brainiac's lungs, leaving him partially breathless.

Then he backed off, allowing his foe to stumble back a step as he gasped for air. This was an opening if he ever saw one. Lunging forward, the Dark Knight leaped into the air as he leaned backward, extended a leg out in front of him. His flying kick nailed Brainiac in the face, the force of his blow sending him flying backwards and crashing to the floor. Batman landed on his feet a moment later.

Moving both hands to his belt, he pulled out a couple shuriken, one in each hand. With a flick of each wrist, a second shuriken appeared out from behind each shuriken he held, making for a total of four. Red lights were already flashing from the bodies of the projectiles. Going into a spin, he stepped backwards and threw the bat-shaped shuriken, watching them fly through the air towards their target.

By then, Brainiac was getting back up, kneeling on one knee. Each shuriken struck him then, one of their sharp ends piercing into his armor, leaving four of the projectiles sticking out of him. A second later, they all exploded, Brainiac crying out as he was engulfed in flames.

By nature, Batman was not one to be on the offensive unless the situation called for it. For instance, if he was in a room full of gun-toting thugs, he needed to take them out as fast as he could before they got a shot at him. He preferred waiting and counter attacking in a one-on-one battle, especially against someone with superior strength.

However, his kryptonite-powered suit closed the gap greatly. While he fully expected more physical strength on Brainiac's side, such that would be revealed eventually, he had the alien off-balanced and if he was going to pull this off, he needed to be relentless. That was why he charged towards the thick cloud of smoke rather than wait for his opponent to reveal himself.

To counter the smoke, he activated a change in sight in his cowl. A red line scrolled from the top of his sight to the bottom, revealing a room of black and purple. There was the occasional blob of red, orange, and yellow, indicating heat sources. And then he spotted a small, circular heat source in midair. That was Brainiac's head, his own armor dampening his body heat and making it appear invisible.

Clearly he forgot a spot.

As he entered the smoke cloud, Batman leaped into the air, a fist drawn back. Timing it perfectly, he threw his fist as he descended on his opponent, slamming it into his face and yet again sending him flying backwards out of the smoke. Pressing forwards, he emerged from the smoke as well, deactivating the thermal vision as he did so and the physical environment of the chamber appeared before him.

Brainiac was a few feet away, recovering from the damage he had been given. He immediately spotted the charging vigilante and reacted, throwing a punch for his head. Again, Batman blocked it, throwing his own fist simultaneously. This time his blow landed against Brainiac's throat, choking him instantly as he gagged. Immediately, the vigilante latched his hand on the side of the green-skinned alien's head, doing the same with his other before he forced the head down. Raising one leg, bending it at the knee, he slammed Brainiac's head against his knee one, twice, then pushed the alien back, putting a small space between them so that he deliver one last punch, an uppercut to his foe's chin that lifted him right off the floor, sending him flying backwards until he landed hard on the ground.

And then he held back. Though he had fought Brainiac before, he wasn't sure what the alien's next move would be. Thus far, Brainiac hadn't taken such a pummeling, so there was no telling what he would do and knowing that would help him predict further exchanges between them. He was already expecting another download of fighting skills and if that was the case, he wanted to have a counter ready.

Slowly, Brainiac began to push himself up. Roughly, he coughed, trying to clear his throat, though having some difficulty from the damage to his larynx. "You were not this strong," Brainiac accused him as he got onto his feet. "How did you increase your strength so rapidly?"

"I don't kiss and tell," the vigilante retorted.

Brainiac narrowed his eyes, the early formation of a scowl appearing. So, he could express his emotions physically. "Your insolence will not be tolerated. You will tell me what I wish to know, or I will vivisect you to learn the answer."

"I thought I was expendable; that there was nothing you could learn from me," he taunted back.

There was a twitch at the corner of the alien's mouth. "I will disassemble you not for the act of knowledge, but as an example to all who cross me. I will display your exposed body for the entire universe."

That was a quaint way to say he would mount his head as a trophy. He had to give Brainiac that. "Give it your best shot."

Brainiac reacted. The metal tentacles lunged at the vigilante, who immediately spun to one side. He felt the rush of air against the front and back of his body, and no immediate impact, indicating he had successfully dodged. However, he was trapped between the tentacles with the larger alien closing in on him. With a hand held with the fingers curled in, palm exposed, Brainiac attempted to strike, a blow that Batman blocked with hier arm, feeling the force cause his limb to tremble. Then he slipped his arm around the alien's and used it as a fulcrum to launch himself up and above his green-skinned opponent. Extending an arm out, he used his circular momentum to land a blow to the back of Brainiac's head, causing him to stumble forward a step.

Instead of continuing his attack, Batman held back, falling into familiar habits. Brainiac regained his balance quickly and spun around, tentacles retracting as he glared at the dark-clad man. Instead of continuing his offensive, he extended two of his tentacles this time, hovering them high above his head.

So that's how he wanted to play this. Alright, he could handle this. The moment the tentacles shot towards him, Batman took off running towards Brainiac instead of away. He went low, ducking his head as one tentacle damn near brushed the side of his head. Then he dropped to the floor, leading with his legs as he went into a slide. He slid across the floor, going between Brainiac's spread legs. The other tentacle hit the floor a moment after, completely missing the vigilante.

Emerging behind the alien, Batman was back on his feet, pulling out a round grenade from his belt. Spinning around, he threw the grenade, hitting the alien against his back, specifically where the tentacles emerged out of his back.

Instead of an explosion of fire, a blue cloud burst forth. Ice crystals began to form almost instantly, covering Brainiac's back and crawling up the base of the tentacles. Eventually the ice stopped perhaps a foot or two up the tentacle's bodies.

The ends of his tentacles actually spasmed, Brainiac attempting to reach behind himself and find out what had happened. One arm moved to flail over his shoulder as the other tried to reach around a side. "What did you do?!" he demanded. "What did you do?!"

"Made it a little harder for you to use those tentacle arms of yours," Batman told him. "Let's see how well they move when their base is solid ice."

The alien turned around and openly glared at him. Heh, he was getting to him. "Your persistence will not save you," he warned. "This is but a stay of execution."

"And I'd be lying if I said this was the first time anyone's said that to me. I hope this isn't all you've got, because I'm a little disappointed."

"Disappointed?" Brainiac seethed.

"You're reliance on superior strength is just like any meta-being I've ever faced," Batman told him. "I know exactly how to deal with people like you."

Brainiac narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps...I have misjudged you, Human. Your point on fighting against superior specimens has clearly influenced your abilities. It would be a mistake on my part to continue combat in this manner."

Batman perked up at those words. Everything he had been saying to Brainiac was to get a rise out of him, to infuriate him and make him act rashly. The alien was clearly a man that worked with a computer's logic and invoking an emotional response overrided that logic. Perhaps he had gone too far with that.

Suddenly, Brainiac's armor seemed to disconnect all over his body. The vigilante could clearly see the various plates, such as the one over his chest, abdomen, arms and legs, and so on. The armor then glowed orange and red, steam escaping out from the gaps between the armor plates, a hissing sound filling the chamber.

The reason for this became obvious a moment later. The ice on Brainiac's back, broke apart, falling to the floor in blobs of water. The sudden change from solid to liquid was nearly instantaneous.

And then the steam stopped. The armor moved back into place, reconnecting with each other to reform the alien's suit. The tentacles then return to their housing on the armor's back. "Now then, let's face each other on even footing," Brainiac intoned.

Batman wasn't sure what that meant, but it seemed he was going to be finding that out sooner than later.

* * *

Ever since they had left Batman behind, Brainiac's defenses had swarmed them. While Diana was confident in her ability to fend them off, even after the fight with the alien destroyer, she had another concern. Superman was with her this time and he wasn't as well-trained as Bruce was without superpowers. It made him an easy target, one she had to defend at all cost.

At first she had put herself between the Kryptonian and the robots the first time they encountered then. Bouncing off laser beams with her bracers were child's play and she even sent their beams back at them, damaging if not destroying them.

Unfortunately, the robots had learned faster than before and were surrounding them. Even with her reflexes, she couldn't protect Superman and herself without getting both of them killed.

So she took up Bruce on his suggestion and began breaking their way out of the ship. With one hand wrapped around Kal's shoulders, pinning him to her side, she flew them up to the ceiling, leading with one fist. In this pose, she had no choice but to fly as fast as she could.

Much like the outer hull of the skull ship, the ceiling above gave into the power of her fist ramming into it, bending and then ripping apart. Instantly, she and Kal were in a different level of the ship, some corridor empty of threats.

Diana didn't bother stopping though. Keeping up her pace, she flew into the next ceiling, bursting through it much like she had the previous one. Then the next one, and the next. Though each level she rammed her way through, she lost some speed, she would urge herself forth regardless. To stop was to invite danger to them and they were in no position to fend it off.

Diana gritted her teeth as they plowed through another ceiling. Her hand was beginning to throb from the pounding she was doing to it. She had lost count of how many floors they had passed through around ten and she was willing to bet there were still double digits to go, if not triple. It was always best to assume a worst case scenario so that she wasn't caught off-guard, something she had learned from the Dark Knight since her arrival in Man's World.

As for her Amazon upbringing, she wouldn't let such assumptions deter her from carrying out her mission. As another ceiling gave away and she and Kal entered yet another floor, she could feel the dark-haired man next to her shift. "Diana, you need to slow down," he urged her.

"No, I can't," she replied back even as she closed in on another ceiling and plowed right through it.

"You're gonna get yourself hurt," he pressed. "Even you have your limits."

Though she understood Superman was only looking out for her well-being, the sentiment prickled at her. Maybe it was due to Superman being depowered that he would suggest such a thing. Maybe he didn't know what her limits were. That he suggested she couldn't do this one thing did not set well with her.

"You and I both know I can take punishment," she shot back through gritted teeth, even as they forced their way through yet another level. "I cannot and will not stop. If we stop now, we could doom Bruce and I won't let that happen."

Though the man had seemed confident in his ability to hold out, Diana had gone toe-to-toe with Brainiac and she had a pretty good idea of his capabilities. There was nothing in his utility belt that was going to give him an edge against a being like that and every second they wasted was one more second he had to survive. All it took was for one punch for Brainiac to obliterate the Dark Knight's head and that would be his end.

She would not let that happen if she could help it.

"And if you injure yourself now, then we'll never get to the surface," he pointed out. "Taking a moment to recover is nothing to be ashamed about."

It was then they reached what appeared to be a thicker wall, which Diana slowed herself until she was right next to it. This looked just like the wall that separated the loading dock from the outside. They had finally reached it. "Your concern, while appreciated, is not necessary," she told him. "We're at the hull."

Superman looked up at the ceiling. "Then you better get us through it," he relented.

_Gladly._ Floating before it, Diana pulled a fist back and then threw it, slamming it against the hull. A dent immediately formed from where she hit it, though it didn't give as easily as the level below them. Pulling her fist back, she began hammering blow after blow against the metal surface, enlarging the dent every time she hit it.

When it was as big as she was, the Amazon then descended downward, passing through the hole she had created in the floor below them. Stopping, she then assumed her previous pose, one fist extended above her head, gripping tightly onto Superman's body.

Then she rocketed forward, flying like a missile towards the dented hull. She hit it as hard as she could and the metal bulged outward. She pressed as hard as she could until it would not give any more, then she pulled back descending down one, and then two floors.

Last time; she had to puncture the hull this time. Anything less would be a failure. Gritting her teeth, she flew as fast as she could—no, faster. She had to hit this with maximum effort.

Her fist connected with the hull and again she felt to push outward.

And then it gave away.

There was a rush of air as Diana and Superman exploded out of the skull ship. They were on top of it, which gave them a perfect view of the sky.

A sky that was blanketed with clouds and smoke.

While sunlight could penetrate through such a screen, it would delay Superman's recovery, even if by a few seconds. That was unacceptable, and Diana continued to risk, picking up undisrupted speed until that had passed through misty barrier and had direct line of sight with the sun itself.

Almost immediately, Superman stiffened against her, his head tilting towards Helios' Chariot, his eyes shut. It was as if he were drinking in the atmosphere and perhaps he was.

Then his eyes opened and they were glowing red. Diana released her hold on him, drifting away as the Kryptonian's powers kicked in, allowing him to float in midair. He hovered, arms spread out, his hands slowly curling into fists. She wasn't sure how much sunlight he needed, but she hoped it wasn't a lot. Then again, the more exposure, the more power he had, or so the thinking went.

Then Superman said the words she most wanted to hear. "Let's go show Brainiac what Earth's made of."

* * *

With a flick of his wrist, Batman went a smoke pellet hurling towards the floor at his feet. Instantaneously, a cloud of thick smoke enveloped him, hiding him from Brainiac's eyes. Pulling out his grapple, he fired it at the ceiling—wherever that was—and then grappled high into the air.

As the smoke thinned and then gave way to the sight of the chamber, the vigilante saw his alien foe looking intently at the smoke, not once looking up at him. Swinging his legs back and then forth, he created forward momentum before he disengaged the grapple, falling towards his opponent.

Letting go of the grapple even as the grapple claw returned to the device, Batman held both of his hands over his head, tightening them into fists. He waited until he was nearly on top of Brainiac before he swung them down, delivering a double-fisted attack on his shoulders. Instantly, Brainiac bent forward, letting out a cry of surprise from the sudden blow, the vigilante landing right in front of him.

With both fists hovering by his hips, he sent one flying upwards, landing an uppercut to Brainiac's chin, snapping his head up, the rest of his body following shortly after, leaving his torso exposed. As he drew his fist back, he sent the other one slamming into the alien's stomach, quickly followed by another and then another. Like pistons, he pounded his fists into Brainiac's gut before changing it up, backing up a step so that he could raise a leg up and kick it forward, his foot ramming into Brainiac's chest and sending him stumbling backwards.

However, as the dark-clad man lowered his leg, Brainiac suddenly righted himself. Head snapping to look right at him, the green-skinned alien suddenly lunged forward, angling himself towards the Dark Knight's side. Extending an arm at shoulder-height, he closed lined the vigilante, knocking him clear off his feet as he gave out a surprised cry.

As his world spin head-over-feet, Batman gritted his teeth, going along with the spinning as he went into a flip, somehow landing on his feet, albeit crouched. Whipping his head around, he was just in time to see Brainiac's fist rocketing towards him, slamming right into his face and sending him flying through the air.

And then abruptly stopping. As he began his unintended flight, a hand latched onto his ankle and promptly stopped him from traveling much further. Before he could react, he was whipped to one side, spinning through the air before suddenly arching upward. That was soon followed by the descent, where he crashed hard onto the floor.

The hand around his ankle vanished then, only for something else to grab onto his shoulders. The next thing Batman knew, he was hauled up into the air, finding Brainiac standing with his arms crossed, two tentacles emerging from his back, each one gripping onto his shoulders. That's when a third one emerged and came to hover in front of his face just before it suddenly smacked him, snapping his head to a side.

Back and forth his head was thrown as he was slapped over and over. Then the tentacle pulled back only shot forward, attaching itself to his chest. The restraining tentacles leg to of him, which allowed the last one to force him back down to the floor, slamming him down on it, and knocking the wind out of his lungs.

"It would seem you have no answer for my metal extensions," Brainiac observed. "All this time I had been content to show you my strength, only for you to leverage it against me. Mid-range tactics, on the other hand, gives me the clear advantage."

Was he just realizing that? So much for being an advanced alien species. Problem was, the tentacles did give him a serious disadvantage and there wasn't much he could do to counter it.

"Now then, I do have a question for you, human. The suit you are wearing, it was not until you activated it that your strength increased exponentially. Tell me how you were able to achieve this."

"I thought there was nothing you could learn from me," he countered.

"Not much, this is true, but I will only ascertain this only if I learn everything there is to know about your species."

"Then you're going to have to wait awhile. I have no intention of telling you anything."

Batman was suddenly yanked off the floor. The next thing he knew, he was slammed hard against a wall. He wasn't even sure how he got there, considering he was somewhere in the middle of the room. Gritting his teeth, he looked at the tentacle still attached to him. It had clearly extended out, so that would explain his suddenly relocation.

Walking, Brainiac approached him, his extended tentacle slowly returning to him, though its head continued to press the Dark Knight against the wall. "If you will not tell me freely what I wish to know, there are other methods," the alien warned him. As he came to a stop, his eyes seemed to glaze over.

"You are called...Batman...from a city known as Gotham." Brainiac looked pointedly at him. "The Gotham index in my database tells me as much."

The vigilante remained silent.

"I can see you have developed a reputation as some sort of hero." More silence. "And a database of your own. You've developed quite a system, Batman, one I may have used myself had I not developed it four hundred years ago."

Then Brainiac frowned. "Strange. I have found no entry about this suit you wear. There are others, but this one has only one mention." Then his eyes focused on the Dark Knight. "Time Travel. Your civilization is too primitive for such technology. You _will_ tell me how you came about this."

Batman couldn't help but stiffen. How the hell had Brainiac been able to access that file? The only known instance was on a flash drive, separated from the computer. He had been careful to remove all traces of the file from his computer whenever he accessed it and he hadn't done that since his return.

Except...someone else had. Zatanna and Cassandra...and he hadn't cleared the database, which left a temporary copy on the hard drive, which Brainiac had gotten a hold of when he hacked into the Cave's supercomputer.

_Goddamn it._

"I won't tell you a thing," he spat back.

Suddenly, he was whipped through the air, only to be slammed down on the floor. Then he was jerked to a side, skidding across the ground, only to arch upward again and be smashed down once more. Then he shot upward, being thrown as high as he could go, only for the head of a tentacle to ram itself right into his stomach. Gasping, he then fell to the floor, only to be caught at the last second, a hand wrapping around his throat, his feet left dangling above the floor.

"I will learn of this knowledge one way or another," Brainiac suddenly warned him. "I do not need your cooperation."

"Go...to hell."

A punch to the face was the response and Batman went flying through the air, only for yet another tentacle to wrap around his ankle and stop him, forcing him back to the floor. "Why do you continue to resist?" Brainiac seethed.

Pushing himself with one hand, the other going to his belt, Batman looked over his shoulder at his foe. "It's like you said, I'm persistent."

Then he whipped his arm out, a shuriken in hand. Almost immediately, electricity began to dance over it and he sent whirling not for Brainiac, but at the tentacle that held him. The moment it collided with the tentacle, it blasted out a bolt of electricity, which ran down the metal body to Brainiac.

Only for it to do nothing. Crap, he had been betting on the electrical conduction of the metal to score a hit. Apparently Brainiac had already taken steps against that. He would have struck the floor out of frustration if he hadn't felt a slight tremor. "Your resistance is futile. Why do you persist in this endeavor? You cannot win."

"I'm not trying to win."

Brainiac frowned. "Then what possible reason do you have for resistance?"

Another tremor. "I'm trying to stall you."

"Stall? Stall for what?"

As if in answer, the ceiling to the chamber burst apart. All Batman saw then was a red-and-blue blur that flew down to the floor, then angled itself right at Brainiac. There was a loud crash and Brainiac cried out as he was sent hurling into a wall, bursting through it. The cables that had attached to the alien's head either disconnected or were ripped off their extensions, leaving their ends dangling in the air.

Immediately, Batman deactivated the kryptonite power source, the green light of his suit dimming. Returning his attention, he saw Superman floating in the middle of the room, a stern look on his face.

"Took you long enough," the Dark Knight grunted.

"Just catching my second wind," Superman replied mildly. "Now, I'm going to finish this."

* * *

Dashing through the hallways, Luthor led the way with Mercy covering him. Any security details encountered were brief, luck having it that neither were spotted. Typically, they would come up from behind or just be turning a corner when a patrol was spotted, thus evasive action was taken before it became engagement.

This was going so well, better than the tycoon had hoped. It wouldn't be long now; they were getting to their entry point, now the extraction point. Just a couple hundred feet, and they would be out of here. If all went well, there would be no interference or combat; the ill-gotten goods were too restrictive for action and too important to be dropped or lost.

Coming to a corner, Luthor stopped only to do a quick check, looking left then right, up and down the intersecting hallway, searching for any mechanical guards that may be in the vicinity. Nothing was spotted, no sounds were picked up, which meant they were golden.

Further down to his right, he spotted the area where the prototype was still docked, the hatch it was connected to shut so as to preserve its integrity. There was no sense leaving it wide open and allowing a patrol to stumble across it. An awkward shuffling of his arms allowed the entrepreneur to press a finger to the keypad on his gauntlet, opening up the hatch so that there was no further need to stop.

All they had to do was use the exit and they were through.

"Keep me covered," he told Mercy, beginning a sprint towards the proverbial finish line. He was close, so close to a consolation of a victory. His city may be gone, but he was still going to profit from this mess one way or another.

Naturally, as seemed to be a peculiar pattern, an unexpected...occurrence had to happen

Luthor had been about to reboard the prototype, his foot taking its first step through the threshold of the hatch when a violent tremor rocked the docking bay. A wall erupted into debris and shrapnel, a dull-colored blur colliding into the next and breaking through that. That second wall had been the spaceship's hull, and now a clear view of Metropolis' remains could be seen, flashes of green light and shrieks of F-18s no longer silenced or hidden.

The suddenness, combined with how the ship shook from the force involved, caused the bald man to lose his footing, stumbling as he fought to regain his balance. This also jostled the item he still held in his arms, and automatically he adjusted to try to hold them all. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep his hold on one of them, the helmet specifically. The quick actions to try and retained his ill-gotten goods had inadvertently thrown it away from him.

As the helmet bounced off the metal floor, Luthor's green eyes zeroed in on it, watching as the alien device continued forward towards the large hole in the alien ship's hold. By luck, the helmet caught on to a side of the newly formed exit, and the businessman bent low, tossing the stolen goods through the open hatch and into the prototype, before leaping forward to try and reclaim the escaping tech.

His leap did not take him far enough, but the following skid moved him closer. Stretching out a hand, Luthor made an attempt to grab the helmet, but the desperate grasp ended up pushing the helmet further outside the ship.

To his horror and his fury, Luthor could only watch as the helmet fell out of the ship, descending down into the remains of Metropolis.

"No!" he shouted, furious at the misfortune and ready to tear apart the first thing that captured his rage's attention.

"Lex! We need to go!" Mercy called out from behind him. Though infuriated, Luthor had enough of mind not to send any of it his bodyguard's way. At least, not yet. Fortunately, when you ran one of the largest corporations in the world, there was at least one or a hundred idiots doing something worthy of being torn to shreds for. They would have to bear the brunt of his rage instead.

Nonetheless, the remains of his city seemed to taunt him, mocking the CEO for the loss of_ his_ city and now the loss of that helmet. Luthor gave in to emotion for but an instant, balling a hand into a fist and slamming it against the metal floor he was sprawled on.

Then, he regrouped and pushed himself back onto his feet, moving away from the hole. He practically stomped his way back to the open hatch and back into the prototype, Mercy covering him until he was on board.

She was right, they did need to go. As for where, there were a few facilities just outside of Metropolis he could go and deposit his loot. Then he could begin work on reverse engineering this alien technology and analyzing the data his gauntlet had been downloading throughout this venture.

Something would come of this, something that would place him back into prominence in a way no other person on Earth was. He would not stop until he ushered in a new era, one of his making.

One where heroes would no longer be needed.

* * *

They had passed Venus some time ago and if one were to squint their eyes and peer ahead, they would just be able to make out a growing pinpoint that was Mercury.

As the closest planet to the sun drew near, Green Lantern and Flash moved ever closer to the sun itself, and from this close up, it did look like a giant fireball. Such a sight did not stop the two superpowered humans from racing closer and closer to it, trying to stop the missile that would bring about the end of the world.

Now if only they could find it.

It was as the pair were passing the small, meteor-pocked planet that the speedster managed to pick out their quarry. "I see it!" Flash called out. "Crap, that thing's moving faster than I thought!"

Green Lantern held back a grimace. "Do you think you can catch up to it?"

"Who do you think you're talking to? Just keep giving me something to run on!"

If he hadn't thought Flash could move any faster, the Lantern was proven wrong as the Scarlet Speedster picked up his pace, moving the fastest he had ever witnessed the immature man moving.

Through the glare of the sun itself, the dark-skinned man kept concentrating as he finally spotted the missile. Due to their angle, all that could really be seen of it was its back, specifically the flames propelling it dead ahead. It had blended in with the star it was rocketing towards, but now seen, it could hide no more.

Flash began winding an arm, spinning it faster and faster until it appeared there was a small whirlwind instead of an arm. They were closing in on the missile, moving closer and closer. This also meant that they were moving closer to the sun as well, and if it weren't for the protection from his ring, both of them would have been blinded by now. So long as John kept up the concentration, they would be safe.

As they were moving parallel with missile, Flash threw his fist at it, the one that he had building up so much speed and force with, and struck the weapon in its side, forcing it off course. It was veering away from its target, heading off into space where it would hopefully do no harm.

"And score one for the...what the!" Flash had already begun to congratulate himself when the missile suddenly corrected itself, its head returning in the direction of the sun and continuing on its suicidal course. "Oh come on! What gives!"

"It probably can correct itself. We're going to need to do more to stop it," Green Lantern called out.

"Oh yeah? Well, let's see it correct this!" Flash was not about to give up without a fight. The speedster angled himself towards and missile and the Lantern did the same with his construct of a track. As their paths intersected, Flash lashed out with a flurry of punches, striking all over the side of the missile closest to him. Some hits managed to slightly knock the rocket off course but it would always self-correct.

"Okay, this is just getting ridiculous!" the speedster growled after one particularly harsh blow. By now, the side of the explosive was dented in all along its side but still it would not stop. "I bet Big Blue doesn't have this kind of trouble."

Glancing towards the sun and how he could see the sunspots on it, Lantern snapped, "We still need to stop it. Any bright ideas?"

For once, Flash was silent, even as he kept up with the missile. The seconds ticking by with the man's almost unnatural silence disturbed John slightly, but he remained focused on the task at hand.

Then, "Hey, you think you can grab it?"

"What do you mean grab it?"

"Can't you make another green thing and grab it? If you can, then maybe this will work. So can or can't you?"

He had been told that the ring was capable of a lot of things, and was only limited by the bearer themself. Whereas the ring held infinite potential, a person had limited concentration, and more importantly attention. You could only do a few things at a time, even with multitasking, and quality always dropped when you divided your attention more and more. Yes, he had served in the military and had to develop his multitasking skills, but many of these skills were unconscious; he wasn't actively paying attention to everything he did.

Right now, John was doing three things at once, and a fourth thing was going to be more taxing than that. Yet, there was no other choice, so he would do what he did best, and suck it up.

"We're gonna find out," the Lantern stated. Between constantly making a frictionless track, tethering himself to the fastest man alive, and shielding their bodies from the power of the sun itself and the natural cosmic radiation of the universe, now the dark-skinned man was projecting one more construct from this ring. As he did so, his other constructs weakened slightly, and he did his best to focus harder so as not to break any of them.

The end of this construct took the form of a clamp, one he whipped out quickly to grab the missile next to them. That was the most solid part of the construct as the rest appeared more flimsy.

"Alright, give us a U-turn!" Flash shouted.

Exerting more concentration, Green Lantern obeyed the request. The track construct began to turn sharply, almost going vertically as it made the turn. Flash followed it easily, but John found himself still moving forward for less than a second before he was yanked back and pulled along his teammate's wake. His hand jerked as well as the clamp construct reached the peak of its length.

Then it was the missile that jerked around into its own U-turn.

Immediately, the weapon's course correcting program kicked in and a new struggle was added to the equation. The missile moved all about behind the two of them, trying to return to is course. Sweat now was beading on John's forehead as the mental strain was really making itself known.

"Angle us to the right a bit!" Flash called back.

Whatever this plan was, it had better work.

Seconds seemed to stretch out, and the strain he was feeling in his head only grew. His discipline fought to maintain control, but it was getting harder and harder.

"We're almost there, GL!" Flash shouted. "Just a few more seconds. Hold it together!"

He didn't bother grunting or retorting "easy for you to say." For half a second, all of his constructs weakened, and the missile almost tore itself loose. A quick reassertion solidified them all. How much longer was this going to take? Like trying to hold up more weight than was reasonable or medically recommended, the same could be said for this battle of mental power.

Suddenly, something big, right in front of them, and growing bigger was noticed.

"Flash?" Green Lantern grunted.

"Not until I say!" Flash stated.

But...but they were heading straight towards the surface of a planet.

They were on a collision course with Mercury,

Not most knew this, but there was a side to the small planet that was practically smooth, escaping all sorts of cosmic objects. That was the side they were heading right for. Small geographic features were starting to become more and more obvious with each second.

"To the left! And throw it!" Flash roared.

It was practically instinctive. The track construct veered to the left of the planet and the clamp construct elongated before it finally broke. As the speeding pair parted ways with the weapon, the missile attempted to correct its course. However, the speed that had been picked up with Flash's assistance had it moving faster than the program could respond to. Even as it began to turn, it wasn't fast enough to complete it as the head of the missile collided with the surface of Mercury.

The massive explosion was much bigger than either of them could have anticipated, swarming over an enormous area of the first planet from the sun.

As an off-color fire engulfed much of Mercury, there was a sense of accomplishment. The missile could no longer impact the sun, which meant for now, Earth was safe.

Earth was not going into that long night today.

* * *

Not many knew of the swamp located to the north and west of Metropolis. For the most part, the area had been calm, serene in spite of what was happening nearby. The wildlife was acting cautious, as was its nature, and life proceeded at its normal pace.

It was all interrupted as an object landed in the muddy waters, sending a splash several feet up into the air. The wildlife scattered, and the waters rippled furiously until gradually calming down. Quiet resumed, retaking its reign over the land.

Then Brainiac tore himself out of the waters, coated with algae, and mud, and other various biological materials. The Coluan gasped, coughing out water and anything else that had managed to get into his mouth. His mobile bio-shell had protected him from much of the brunt of his landing, and as he recovered from the bodily trauma, his green eyes spotted his less than sterile and pristine condition.

Then they widened in absolute horror.

"Get off," he spoke, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. Then louder and less hinged, "Get off!" His hands began wiping at his arms and torso, and then to his head and face. "Get off! GET OFF!"

Brainiac was becoming more desperate and more frantic as he began to scrape at every available surface of his body that he could find. His eyes were wide with panicked mania as he struggled with an old foe, one that terrified him more than any other creature in the known universe. To his own eyes, phantom images of single-celled organisms that now sought ways to enter his body were a terror that was unknown after so long being safe in his ship.

There was no safety now. There was no control now. There was no—

A blow to his back, one delivered by Superman sent the alien down into the shallow parts of the swamp, his body digging a trench into the mud. "Welcome to Earth, Brainiac," the Kryptonian stated coldly. "Welcome to a place you can't control."

Shoving himself back up, Brainiac glared wildly at the Man of Steel. "You do not know what you've done! What you've done to me!" Metal tentacles charged out from his suit, lashing out at the hovering Kryptonian.

Superman snatched them all in one hand, moving quickly enough to do so in one action. Tightening his grip to an extreme, he crushed the artificial appendages, the clawed ends spasming as they opened to their fullest extent and moved no more. Not yet done, the Man of Steel pulled harshly on the extensions, in effect yanking Brainiac off his feet and flinging the alien towards him.

Pulling his free hand back, Superman balled it into a fist then threw it forward, striking the green-skinned menace in the chest. The force was more than enough to damage the futuristic armor, denting, cracking and fracturing it. Brainiac's momentum carried him past the dark-haired Kryptonian, his body flipping back and causing the most ungraceful landing into the muddy earth ever seen. Jolted loose, alien-based armor fell off the alien, exposing the black and white jumpsuit underneath it, creating a new entrance for Brainiac's deepest fear to gain access.

Pulling back again on the tentacles, Brainiac was pulled off of the earth once more and struck again, only this time it was back down to the watery ground. Superman hovered over him now, glancing at the ends of the tentacles still clenched in his hand. This latest blow had been enough to sever them, rendering them worthless to their master.

"You can't take it, can you?" he spoke calmly. "You can't handle what you can't _control_, can you? All the knowledge you've gained, and you haven't learned that life can't be controlled. It can't be bottled up and hidden away. All this time and all the suffering you've caused, and you don't know a thing about life."

Brainiac was slowly picking himself up, but it was a struggle for him now. He did have the benefit of his ship and its resources. He had no means in which to weaken his quarry. He could not plan or control for any variables now.

"You are so short-sighted. Life must be managed," the alien growled, getting up onto his knees. "Knowledge must be...belong to one who understands its importance. What do you think you are accomplishing?"

"A lot more than you are," Superman retorted.

With a snarl, Brainiac spun on his heels, throwing a punch that struck the Kryptonian in his chest. Superman didn't give a grunt, but he gave another blow of his own, one that flung the alien backwards and into a tree. Bark exploded off of it as Brainiac collided with it, and its roots were strong enough to keep it standing tall. Not so much for Brainiac who slumped down to the muddy, sloppy, and disease-ridden swamp.

Tossing aside the remains of the tentacles, Superman made his way to the beaten menace, stretching out a hand to snatch the green-skinned alien by his jumpsuit and raise him up into the air. Height no longer mattered, and Brainiac dangled in the Kryptonian's grip. He took in the defeated sight, noticed the damage to the space armor, the few cables that remained attached to the ports in the aliens head, but were severed much like his tentacles. He saw how gunk from the swamp were gumming up empty ports, how water was wrinkling the green skin, all of which increased the scene of defeat.

But what to do with him now.

So many lives lost. Metropolis shrunk and with no way he knew of to reverse it. Brainiac would not do anything to help, because it was knowledge he had sampled and was determined to keep. Maybe the computers at the Fortress might be able to help. That still left the threat that this alien represented.

It was a threat he could end right here and now.

"Superman!"

There was a splash a distance away, but he recognized the voice. Batman had shown up. There was another splash; someone else was here and a quick look over his shoulder allowed him to see Wonder Woman. They weren't threats, and so he returned his attention to the one that was.

"Superman, what are you doing?" Batman demanded as he took a step closer to them.

He didn't answer. All he could do was glare at the bastard that had stolen a life, a family, one that had been his before he had ever known it, and would never know what it could be. A life amongst other Kryptonians, where he wouldn't feel alone, or different, and raised with his parents, ones he only knew from holograms and data files and nothing more.

Brainiac stole it all before he could ever value any of it.

"You're...you're thinking about killing him. Aren't you."

Surprisingly, Superman did not feel an icy jolt or even a reactionary jerk. Batman had just put into words what he was feeling right now, feelings he hadn't been able to describe just yet.

"Superman. Kal, he is beaten," Wonder Woman stated. "There is no need to fight him anymore."

"Why? Why should he get to live after everything he's done?" His voice came out surprisingly hoarse, a rasp that held back strong emotions. "How many people has he hurt? How many killed? How many more if I let him live? He's taken so much...from everyone. From me."

"You can't kill him. You'll just—"

Superman interrupted the vigilante. "I'll be like him? Is that what you're trying to say? That if I put an end to him right here, right now, I'll be just like him?"

"And give people like Luthor exactly what they want to discredit you?" Batman demanded. "You're better than that, Kent. You're better than Luthor, and Brainiac, and whatever else you've had to fight. Not because you're Superman, but because you stand for something more. You don't kill, not because it makes you better than them, but because that's the right thing."

"This isn't your fight. Just look away." Superman found himself clenching his teeth tightly, not wanting to heat some spiel about morality. For a man who beat people with his bare fists, that was a lot coming from him.

"What you're thinking of is revenge," Wonder Woman cut in. "We fight for justice, do we not? Sometimes that means we do things that go against our wants. We are seen as heroes not because we're able to do things that most cannot, but because we don't give in to our dark urges. Where I come from, justice is more...exacting, but I have learned much coming here to Man's world. I have learned that there are other ways, and execution does not need to be the answer. This is true when answers are what we need. How will we restore Metropolis? The other cities he's taken? Only Brainiac knows those answers."

They were answers that the alien would not give up. Knowledge was for him to keep, because it was only valuable if only one person had it. Why didn't they understand that? What, in all they have seen, would make them think that Brainiac would willingly give up his knowledge?

"Do...it."

That caught the Kryptonian off guard. The big reason was that those two words came right from the alien he held up in the air.

"Go on. Kill me," Brainiac croaked out. "Do it...before I am wasted away by this planet's contaminations. Its diseases. It's what would be done...on Krypton. In that regard...your home world...and this world...are much alike."

"Don't listen to him," Batman requested urgently. Something about his tone was off. It was as if he sounded...desperate? But why?

"They call it...avenging, don't they?" Brainiac continued haltingly. "Then...avenge your father. Avenge Krypton. Avenge every world...I've ever destroyed. You have the power—"

"Shut up!" Batman snapped at the broken alien. "Superman—Clark! Listen to me. Don't listen to him! Don't give him what he wants!"

"He's trying to manipulate you!" Wonder Woman added. "He wants you to kill him!"

"—all the power you need...to end me. To end my...reign of terror. To save the universe from me," Brainiac continued heedlessly. "So use it. Use that brutish strength. You'll be avenging them...all. Life...for a life."

"Shut. Up," Superman growled, tightening his grip on the jumpsuit.

Water sloshed against booted feet, someone, or someones, were fidgeting or getting ready to move. But really, would they be fast enough? Despite it all, the Kryptonian was the fastest here; he could have already snapped Brainiac's neck by now and no one would have been able to stop him.

"Clark. You're not a killer."

"I said shut up!" Superman snarled. The muscles in his arm was starting to cramp and when had he pulled it back, ready to punch forward with it? His whole body was tense and felt like it would start trembling at any minute from the strain. He didn't even know who had spoken last.

"Do you think Lois would want you to do this?"

That had to be Batman, and that was a low blow. To bring in his affection for the headstrong reporter was manipulative too. Yet he could see her face in his head, could remember all the expressions he had seen her with, from skeptical to awed, from fear to determined, from wonder to smug, and everything else in between.

What were the odds she too was bottled up in Brainiac's ship? Would he ever get to see her again? His anger towards this bastard was growing more.

It wasn't just his past that was ruined; his future too was on the brink of being lost, if it hadn't already. Lois, his father, his mother, and who knows what else, it was all being taken away and they all were connected to this alien, to Brainiac, the architect of his very life.

"Nothing but contaminated," Brainiac spat out. "Prove to me...that you are the brute you were...when I captured you. Take your vengeance. Avenge your people. Avenge your father. Make him proud."

Avenge the father he had never truly known. Avenge the man whom only an extraterrestrial computer could tell him anything about. It never had to be that way, if only it weren't for Brainiac. And if it weren't for him, he would never be here, be on Earth, had ever met Lois or any of the others or...or…

It ended here, didn't it? It ended right here with this intergalactic menace. This bastard who had stolen so much, taken away a future and a life from him. He would never grow up under Jor-El's care. He would never...never make his father...proud.

_...that made me proud to be your father._

Kal-El took a deep breath in.

_Though, there is one thing I am thankful for this Brainiac for. I was able to be your Pa, and there is nothing I would trade the world for if it meant losing that._

Kal-El opened eyes he hadn't known he had closed.

_No matter what, you can always count that I'll be there, always at your side. That's what a father does for his child._

Clark Kent felt clarity.

"My father's name is Jonathan Kent. A farmer in Kansas. He raised me right, and there's nothing I won't do to make him proud of me, you son of a bitch."

He dropped genocidal alien into the mud, where he belonged. Brainiac had a look of incomprehension and shock, doing nothing as he sank further down into the swamp.

Turning away, Superman faced the other two, Wonder Woman and Batman. Wonder Woman had a look of approval on her face, her lips curled upwards into a smile. That was nothing new, not after such a tense moment.

Batman, though, appeared relieved, but it was only for a moment, hidden away as his cape closed off the vigilante's body to the world. And he looked like the dark figure everyone knew him to be once more. Still, the Kryptonian wondered if he had seen what he thought he had seen.

Nonetheless, he floated by the two, exhaustion beginning to take hold. In the distance, he could see smoke rising from what was left of his city, as well as a green glow surrounding the skull-shaped ship that hovered over it. Rays of light from the sun itself made it look picturesque.

But their work was not yet done. Now was the time to start rebuilding again. Repairing the damages. Pointing the fingers at who was responsible. Returning to normalcy.

Yet he felt nothing but the exhaustion.


	26. Man into Machine

Author's Note: It's the final chapter of this story, and man what a ride. Now, I know what some of you want, and that's what comes next. You can find those details at the bottom, but until you get there, enjoy.

Man Into Machine

**Now and then, I've been hanging by a string****  
****I watch the world change from man into machine****  
****Man into machine****  
****Man into machine****  
****Zeros, ones, is that all we will become?****  
****An empty shell of what was human****  
****Man into machine****  
****Man into machine****  
****We have become so inhuman**

**-Man into Machine by Veer Union**

* * *

Brainiac's now iconic skull-shaped ship was wrapped in numerous green constructs of a certain Corps' making. It was being towed away from Metropolis' remains, the latest part of the recovery effort.

Down in the crater that had been left behind in the ship's wake, a group of Green Lanterns were finishing the latest touches to support structures placed in the hole within a hole, Held above it was the captured city itself, the bottle containing Metropolis held above the hole by a construct. Several Lanterns would fly up to the city, occasionally turning it by the slightest of margins before returning to the edges of the crater.

Watching the process, Wonder Woman found herself supervisor along with one of the Guardians. This one, Ganthet she believed he was called surveyed calmly, and made a remark. "When we had learned what the Collector of Worlds was doing, we went to Colu in hopes to unite against a common threat. The Coluans wanted nothing to do with us, and were determined to catch up with their exile as soon as they could. When that did not happen, and Vril Dox began to outpace all pursuit, we returned to Colu to form another sector. They, being autonomy minded, refused but were not able to resist. So we struck a deal. They would teach us the means to reverse the shrinking process for the day when we caught up to Dox and we would not place them under our jurisdiction. After all this time, the bargain will bear its fruit."

"Are you sure this will work?" the Amazon asked. Though she put on a front of strength, technology was not her greatest area of knowledge. Yes, she was learning, was still learning, but still had some difficulty interacting with Man's technologically advanced world as compared to Themyscira. Brainiac's technology was something else altogether. How did the Green Lanterns know they were doing this correctly?

"The process works; the Coluans were efficient in that respect," Ganthet answered. "It was demonstrated for us. We made sure that we would never lose the knowledge."

It also helped there were Lanterns who were savvy with this area. They were using their rings to hack into Brainiac's programming, diverting most of their resources to the restoration.

Speaking of Brainiac, Wonder Woman could see a very thick construct, one that was made by multiple Green Lanterns, and which held the dangerous Coluan himself. The alien monster was being taken to a transport vessel, one which Ganthet had arrived on, and would take Brainiac back to Oa for trial.

There was some resistance from A.R.G.U.S. about this. There were demands that Brainiac be placed in their custody, after all, the Coluan had invaded and committed atrocities against the American people. He was theirs to prosecute. The Green Lantern Corps held no jurisdiction here, and was not recognized as a law enforcement agency.

Ganthet had responded that Brainiac's crimes extended far beyond Earth, included countless worlds, and that based on the U.S.' system of jurisdiction, Brainiac fell under the Corps' authority. America was not recognized by the Corps as the official representative for Earth and would not be recognized until the entire planet itself elected it into such a position. Until such time as a global consensus like that could be established, the Corps would be handling this matter, but was perfectly willing to work with the local authorities on this case in a consulting role.

That would not go over well with A.R.G.U.S.'s superiors, but there was nothing they could do about it. In a head-on fight, the United States government did not stand a chance against the Green Lantern Corps, and A.R.G.U.S. knew this.

She had seen Steve standing near his superiors and fellow agents. The Amazon had not been able to get an impression of his emotions and the man she had thought to be a friend made no attempt to approach her.

It was becoming disturbing how the men she grew close to had a pattern of distancing themselves from her.

Glancing away, and up, Wonder Woman spied out the floating form of Superman. The guardian of this city was keeping away from others, watching everything, waiting for the moment of truth that Metropolis would be restored. She knew him to be a symbol of hope, which in turn gave him a reputation of being approachable. Right now, Superman was anything but approachable.

After everything he had been through, she understood why he would want to be alone. She also understood the sense of responsibility that kept him here and not in his arctic Fortress.

At that time, one of the Lanterns glided towards them. ""We're ready to break open that bottle. We did our best to get the thing turned so that it fits with everything else. No streets replacing buildings or anything like that."

Ganthet nodded. "Then proceed, Lantern."

There was a quick answering nod, and the Lantern returned to the bottled city. The Amazon felt her heart rate increase in anticipation, hope and excitement taking hold. This was the moment, the one where it was all put right again. That their failure to protect could be corrected, and order restored.

There was a tiny part that had doubt. Were they really capable of undoing the damage that Brainiac had wrought? Could they restore a city that for all intents and purposes was never meant to be returned?

Lanterns raced away from the crater as a misty green energy began to fill it. Like a tide of water or a cloud of mist, it spread out until it filled the hole in the city. Then energy thrashed about, much like the tide itself, and then emerging from the middle, and growing, the tops of skyscrapers pierced through it and rose up and up to the sky above.

It was quite a sight. Length, and width, and height expanded, colors gradually restoring themselves as the faces of these man-made structures. You could hear a rumbling as earth connected with earth, two opposing surfaces grinding against one another. It sent tremors along and throughout the rest of the city, forcing people to brace themselves against the shuddering streets and buildings.

The cloud of energy began to dissipate, much like a fog in the morning hours. The shadows of restored buildings began to penetrate through the green screen, followed soon by figures of people, people who were coming out from hiding and advancing slowly from their former captivity.

There was a cry from a child, followed by the naturally stumbling footsteps of a boy running. Wonder Woman watched as the child ran to a woman, one who snatched him up and began to sob, the mother by all reason. And then the citizens of this city reunited with their returned brethren, a wave of people who cried out for missing loved ones or welcomed the first ones they encountered.

This was an even better sight to behold.

"It is a hard duty, is it not?" Ganthet spoke softly beside her. "Sights like these, they remind us why we do what we do, and why we will always continue to stand against evil."

"It makes it worth it," she agreed.

* * *

As the last remnants of Metropolis returned, Batman stood at what had been the outskirts of the stolen city. Cape rustling in the air, he calmly observed each and every building being unshrunk and restored to its proper place.

The confrontation in the swamp with Brainiac had been unnerving. Superman had appeared ready and willing to put the alien down, consequences be damned. Then...then he had relented.

Never had the Dark Knight felt so relieved.

As if in response to this thought, a presence appeared behind him. Tilting his head to one side, he spotted J'onn landing on the roof some feet away. "I am glad to see you are unharmed," the Martian greeted him.

"We cut it pretty close today," Batman returned, turning his attention back to the city.

J'onn moved to stand next to him, also observing Metropolis. "Indeed."

The pair were silent for a moment. Ultimately, it was Batman who broke it. "We dodged a bullet," he spoke calmly. "Superman looked as if he were ready to kill Brainiac, but stopped himself. I wasn't sure if he would."

"While I understand your reservations, I do believe you do the League an injustice," J'onn responded. "Events are already much different than they were in that timeline. The League continues to improve upon itself. I myself have yet to see the cracks that would lead to the Regime."

Already, Batman could see where this was going. It wasn't that hard to see the lead up. He was just going to have to disappoint his friend.

"For a brief moment, I saw Superman the Kryptonian," he said after awhile. "Make no mistake, Brainiac has wronged Superman and he wanted justice, if not revenge for his home world. Superman the man raised on Earth intervened and calmed him down. If it weren't for his upbringing here, we would be having a different conversation."

"Perhaps. Regardless, Superman made the correct choice."

Yes, yes he did.

"You should reconsider your resignation from the League," J'onn then added, no surprise to the vigilante. "Despite your self-imposed exile, you still work well with the League. Your presence would only help prevent that timeline."

Batman shook his head. "I disagree. There are still issues that need to be resolved and our current situation appears to be working as well."

"Issues that you have with whom?" J'onn questioned. "With the others? Concerning the others? Or within yourself?"

Trust J'onn to shift his way to the heart of the matter. "Both, and neither."

"You know what my wishes are. The others are of the same mind. I trust you'll come to the same conclusion before too long."

The Martian never gave up hope, did he? "We'll see," was all he deigned to respond with.

A large hand found its way onto his shoulder. "No, Batman, I strongly encourage you to rethink your position," the green-skinned man pressed.

That actually surprised him. He hadn't ever seen J'onn push his opinion on others. And if he was making such a gesture, then he had good reason for it. The suddenness and his surprise gave him pause, one that he was actually wondering if he should reconsider his position.

And he was right, they had performed as if he had never left. Would it be so bad for him to return?

Before they could continue though, there was a gust of wind and the two were not alone. "Hey, this is where you two went!" Flash exclaimed, coming to a stop on the other side of the Dark Knight. "The others were beginning to wonder."

"Just surveying Metropolis' restoration, Flash," J'onn told the speedster smoothly, dropping his hand from Batman's shoulder. _Nice one, J'onn,_ the vigilante couldn't help but think.

_Thank you,_ came the mental reply.

Damn it, he hadn't meant to project that thought. "What are you doing here, Flash?" Batman inquired as he looked at the red-clad man.

"Like I said, looking for you. The others are helping with the cleanup. I would have thought you would be long gone by now, Bats."

Well, he would have if not for the distinct lack of transportation. He had landed his jet in one of Brainiac's docking bays, so he didn't have immediate access to it. Already he had activated its autopilot so that it would fly itself to him, but it was taking up some time already.

"Not everyone moves as fast as you," Batman replied snippily.

Flash didn't even appear offended by the remark. "Tell me about it. All of this recovery stuff is taking forever."

"We all have our problems," J'onn intoned.

"Yeah. Unfortunately mine doesn't end here. I've got a pain in the butt still waiting for me back home and I'm not even sure what to do with it. I had to throw the poster child for ADHD in a closet before coming out here."

Both Batman and J'onn gave the speedster an incredulous look. "You put a child in a closet?" the vigilante couldn't help but ask.

"It was the only thing I could think of with short notice," Flash defended. "I don't have a babysitter on speed dial, or anything. Knowing my luck, he's already broken out and trashed my place." He sighed. "I've got to get him out of there, he's driving me nuts. And it's not like there's a group of superheroes his age or anything for him to hang out with."

Batman stared at the red-clad man before he decided to throw him a bone. After all, he did know of a group and perhaps this kid giving the Flash a headache would keep them on their best behavior. They couldn't get into trouble if they were having to supervise a whirlwind of energy.

"I think I know someone that can help you," he finally said.

* * *

Everyone had broken off into their own groups. Diana was hanging around Superman. J'onn had checked in with Batman, with Flash of all people joining them. That was an odd grouping to be sure.

However, there was one person that John had noticed wasn't around. Hawkgirl had taken off on her own once the battle had been won and Metropolis had been restored. He couldn't help but notice her absence.

When the Green Lantern Corps arrived, he had heard the Justice League's anguish at thinking they had lost a city. Shayera had seemed to have taken it hard as well. As a teammate, it was his duty to make sure she was alright. Everyone needed to debrief, to vent, and to make sure she got the support she needed, he went after her.

It took awhile, but eventually he found her sailing past the outskirts of Metropolis. She didn't appear to be heading anywhere specific, just milling around in the air. That helped the former marine catch up to her quickly.

Approaching her, he was soon flying next to her, keeping a small distance between them. "Hey," he gruffly greeted her.

The Thanagarian glanced at him. "What do you want?" she replied back, equally gruffy.

"I just wanted to check on you, see if you were doing alright," he responded.

"I'm fine." Well that was short and blunt. "I just need a moment to think."

"Think about what?"

Hawkgirl shot him a look. "It's nothing. Just mind your own business."

Generally, John would have taken the hint. After all, he knew better than to mess with hard headed women. They had a tendency to thrash you if you didn't stop bugging them. Yet, they had been in an extremely tough spot not too long ago. This needed to happen. "I wasn't going to say anything in front of the others, but I couldn't help but notice how Brainiac's attack was affecting you."

The redhead glowered at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"All I'm saying is that you were hit hard by what happened to Metropolis. Everyone was. I figured you might like someone to talk to about it."

"Well, I don't," she snapped at him. They were quiet for a moment. "You can go away anytime now." That was a suggestion he blatantly ignored. "You're not going away, are you?"

"No, I'm not."

Hawkgirl rolled her eyes. "And you won't go away unless you pretend you're a shrink, right?"

"You got it."

She grumbled audibly. "Fine, I'll play your little game." Suddenly, the winged woman flew down to the ground, the Lantern keeping up with her. The two of them landed on a hill, the sight of Metropolis off in the distance. There was a highway nearby, one that ran around the hill, though surprisingly there were no gas stations or fast food restaurants around. It was like the development crews had left this spot untouched—for now.

For several moments, neither one of them spoke. John wasn't going to say the first words, not when he knew he needed to listen, and he knew Hawkgirl would speak when she was good and ready.

For that, he was rewarded. "Okay, I'll admit Brainiac destroying...shrinking...whatever he did, it did get to me. You weren't there, you didn't see Metropolis just vanish in front of you. I had a kid with me and he had to watch his mother die."

John hid the wince that wanted to so badly appear on his face. He could only imagine what that was like...well, maybe not. When he had been on his tours in Afghanistan, there had been plenty of collateral damage between his unit and the Afghani villages. Mothers crying over injured or dead children, kids desperately trying to help parents blown to pieces—it was a nightmare to witness. Hawkgirl had been in a tough spot.

He didn't really have anything to say to that either. His words would come across as either insensitive or tone-deaf, and he was not that kind of man. Instead, he remained silent, allowing his comrade to vent at her own pace.

"We were lucky—incredibly lucky—that we were able to fix everything, that Metropolis wasn't actually destroyed. Despite everyone here, we didn't stand a chance against someone as methodical and advanced as Brainiac." Hawkgirl paused for a moment, her eyes squeezing shut tightly before they reopened. "We could very well be cleaning up a giant hole rather than making sure a city fit back into place like a jigsaw puzzle."

"You're right," John acknowledged. "But the way I see it, luck is a part of it. There are a dozen instances I can think of where the good guys won and the bad guys lost because of dumb luck. I'm not a gambling man, but I do recognize when things happen outside of my control."

"You can live with that?" the redhead responded, looking at him intently. "You're fine with luck going your way?"

"That's not what I said at all. I recognize it, but I don't anticipate it. In fact, I'd rather do everything I can to minimize how much of a factor it is. That way a fight can't be influenced in the wrong direction."

The corner of the woman's mouth twitched up. "I kinda like that."

"I thought you might." John then took a step towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I think we're all in need of some down time."

"And a stiff drink," she retorted.

That actually wasn't a bad idea. "You're on. I know a little place in Detroit we could go to. Owner doesn't ask a lot of questions and doesn't want a lot of trouble either."

Hawkgirl raised an eyebrow. "Uhh, you do realize I have wings, right? I draw enough attention just standing."

"You let me worry about that."

The Thanagarian stared at him for a moment before she smirked. "Alright, I will. Lead the way, John Stewart."

* * *

Luthor relaxed in his seat, even though it was not his preferred office atop his headquarters. That was still under renovations; so he had to make due with a much smaller room that had been spiffed up to his standards. Other than this, everything else was restored, as if it had never been taken from him. Relaxation, however, was not on his schedule for this evening, though. He already had a meeting scheduled and was currently attending to it.

Across his expansive desk, a reedy man with fading red hair and prominent gray streaks on either side examined the orb which contained the nanotechnology which the CEO had appropriated from the skull-shaped spaceship, once owned by the now named Brainiac.

Skin seemed to be pulled too far back on the man's face, exposing very prominent cheekbones. Small eyes peered into the orb, as if trying to see each and every individual nanobot contained within. A hand that seemed small with fingers that were much too long carefully handled the object, turning it one way, then another.

Peering up at the tycoon, the reedy man asked, "You are sure that this is nanotechnology?"

Luthor allowed his lips to curve upwards. "I have it at the highest authority."

"How did you come by it?" the man asked. "Most nanotechnology is still in its infancy. You have major breakthroughs, and occasionally a massive leap forward, but most tend to be unreplicable."

"From what I hear, you are the foremost expert on the subject," Luthor replied. "No one else on earth has your expertise. It is my hope that you will not only study but replicate, and failing that reverse engineer the technology you now hold in your hands. Unless you feel the challenge is beyond you…"

To the man's credit, he did not seem to take the bait. "I prefer to have healthy skepticism until proven otherwise, and absolutely. I will say, I am interested."

The businessman was in a good mood. The word that this man was interested was enough of a hook for him, for now. "What would you need in order to produce results?"

The reedy man paused and made direct eye contact. "You are not going to leave this alone, are you?"

Luthor only answered with a knowing smirk. There was no need to say anything.

The orb was placed on the desk, the reedy man reclining back in his seat. "I will need a lab. I will need to be able to order resources and materials with no scrutiny. In effect, it is what you would call a blank check. There will be no pressure. No demands. If that is what you are willing to do, then I will do more than study this technology. I will build you what a man in your position craves most."

Luthor's smirk became sharper. "Are you sure you're not a negotiator? If you put your mind to it, it is a career you could go far in."

"It's not my passion. To change the world on the other hand…" His guest had trailed off, pale blue eyes returning to the orb.

The bald CEO intertwined his fingers together, resting his elbows on the arm supports of his chair. "I can grant you the lab, order the materials and whatnot without asking too many questions. However, I want updates. Weekly."

"Monthly," the man argued. "Spending too much time writing reports is time not spent researching."

"Two weeks," he compromised. "After a year, we can renegotiate. By then, we can discuss demands."

The reedy man licked dry lips. "If I were to refuse?"

"Then I find someone else more willing to adhere to me. That I am willing to consider compromising with you should be seen as an act of faith. I value your expertise and am willing to consider your demands instead of throwing you out." It was brutal honesty, and while Luthor preferred more subtlety, sometimes you had to make exceptions to get what you want.

The man seemed to think it over, reaching up to adjust a bow tie he wore that peeked out from a sweater vest. The seconds seemed to tick by, slowing and infuriatingly, until finally he gave an answer. "You offer too tempting an opportunity to pass up. If you will draft up the contract, then I can give my agreement."

And those infuriating seconds were now justified. Standing up, Luthor held out his hand, which was accepted with reciprocal shake. "I look forward to seeing what you come up with, Professor Ivo. I will be in contact with you very soon."

Mercy was called in soon enough, and Ivo escorted out. Because of anticipating and a need to move, Luthor had not finished with a contract to have signed now, but thankfully he now had the opportunity to revise some of it. There would need to be enough in it to placate the professor while sneaking in a few of his own conditions.

So far, this was proving all the more profitable.

Once he was alone, Luthor turned towards the windows that offered him far from the best view of his city, yet he still took it all end. For a time, he had almost lost everything. No matter how far his reach extended globally, what deals he made, contracts accepted, or mergers officiated, this here was his. The land, the people, the businesses, all of it.

So this had been a big wake up call. No longer could he sit idly by, content with antagonizing the blue boy scout that struggled to take what was rightfully his away. There were greater forces at work, some of them from the very stars. It was past time that he began to take a hand at this high-stakes galactic poker table and make a wager or two.

Never would he be caught without several aces up his sleeve.

Turning back to his desk, the tycoon accessed his personal computer, all the while shuffling various documents still on the desk's surface. It was getting late and it was more than time to retire. Without looking, he opened up his business email, planning to skim through whatever else was in there before calling it a day.

The first three were reminders of some mundane task that could wait for the morning. The fourth was a panicked missive from an incompetent manager who really needed to be fired. The fifth was labeled URGENT, and would have been ignored due in part from being primed by the previous email.

That this one came from Happersen was what made Luthor pause.

Opening it up, and having to put in his security clearance—a surprise in and of itself—he read through a surprisingly short message. Happersen was known for making detailed reports. All this e-mail contained was a quick summary and instructions to watch the attached video file. Since the Brainiac robot was no longer on the premises, Happersen had been reassigned to pour over all the data that the CEO had made off with from Brainiac's ship. The computer mounted gauntlet had been copying every file it could before being shut down.

It seemed like something had been found. Moving his cursor over the video file, he selected and opened it up.

"_I was beginning to wonder when we would meet._"

Luthor frowned. The image on his screen was that of the boy scout, but he was sitting on a throne of all things, talking directly into the camera.

"_I was beginning to wonder if you would ever leave that throne of yours to come find me._"

That was a different voice, one that took the business man a moment to recall. If he wasn't mistaken, hadn't that costumed vigilante sounded like that? The one from Gotham?

The one that had _stolen_ his robot.

"_If what I've heard is true, you never had any problem killing-_"

_Killing?_

"_-people. Strangling them, beating them, burning them with your heat vision; there was no hesitation._"

It was an argument, a back and forth of ideology and pragmatism. Verbal give and take, blows taken to the ego, and arguments going back and forth. Names were thrown about, such as Zatanna and Diana. And then there was the physical fight.

Pills that could enhance strength, armor powered by kryptonite, and…

A sword of glowing green—_kryptonite_—piercing right through that disgusting S…

There was quite some pleasure seeing that.

And it all ends with the snap of a neck…

By the time the video had ended, Luthor was sitting back in his chair, thinking. There was so much there, so much to know, so much to use. This...this was a game changer. An ace among aces. If used effectively and appropriately, who knew what damage this could do.

What damage indeed.

* * *

The night sky held a beauty to it, one that space lacked. Was it because you stood on the surface of a planet, looking up at it rather than being surrounded by it? Was there some sort of existential or philosophical answer to that?

Neither really meant anything to Clark, not when he sat on the porch swing, taking a sip from a beer offered to him by his Pa. He may not be a man who enjoyed alcohol, but that didn't stop him when the company more than made up for the bitter taste. Supper had ended some time ago, and the Kent family had migrated outdoors for a while.

There was much talk, but none of it about world-shaking events or forces beyond their kin. No, they spoke about little things, mundane happenings, like who Pa ran into while in town the other day, or Ma's current battle with a den of opossums, if only she could find their den. Petty gossip, fond memories, and a little teasing to make sure nothing was left out.

Eventually, the most important question of that night was asked, and by his mother, naturally. "You boys had enough meatloaf? Would you like to take any back with you, Clark?"

It was a smile that only a child refusing brussel sprouts could give that formed on the Man of Steel's face. "I'm good. Thanks Ma."

"Jonathan?"

"I can have it for lunch tomorrow."

"You boys don't stay out for too long. It's starting to get chilly," the Kent matriarch warned as she got off her seat and headed back inside. It was an unusual occasion for her not to immediately begin cleaning dishes after a meal, but this was an unusual visit. Normally, Clark would have called ahead to let them know he was coming; flying back to Smallville from Metropolis was not a hard feat.

However, this time he had shown up unannounced, the weight of recent events still hanging over him. Brainiac, the fate of Krypton, the near loss of Metropolis, and the swamp…

Yet, none of it had been mentioned once while he had been here. It had all been small talk, but it was the kind that inspired laughter, and made you relax. And now here he was, lazily swirling what was left of his beer in its bottle, still unfinished.

His Pa let out a deep breath, sitting back in a rocking chair. His bottle was half-empty too, and was paid no attention to. "How've you been?" the older man asked.

That was a question that could be answered in a lot of ways, but trusted that the honest one would be spoken. Clark...didn't know how to answer it. A general "fine" was not appropriate here, because he didn't feel "fine." "Good," "okay," and "same old, same old" were also not options. Truthfully…

"I've been better," he admitted, letting his head fall back. His neck began to resist when he leaned too far back, and he remained that way.

"It's been tough," Pa stated. "You've had a lot to think about. That's on top of what happened to Metropolis. I don't know if you'll believe an old man like me, but it's going to be okay."

Clark closed his eyes. He so much wanted to believe that. But Pa hadn't been there, in the swamp, where he had considered deliberately taking a life. Brainiac didn't deserve to live, and as the last son of Krypton, he had almost given in to avenging...taking vengeance on the bastard.

"I almost did it," he confessed. "I wanted...I wanted so much to kill him, Brainiac. After everything he's done, the people he's hurt, the lives he's taken...and I couldn't do it. But I was so close…"

Pa was quiet for some time, allowing the adopted Kryptonian to sit there with his thoughts. Now, on top of what he was feeling before, there was apprehension as well, the same a child felt when confessing a dark secret to their parent and awaiting either acceptance or condemnation. Even now, after all these years and all of the abilities he possessed, the Kents were the ones that always made him feel vulnerable.

They made him feel vulnerable in the only way a child felt with their parents.

"There's always going to be those moments when a man faces a hard choice. There's always going to be the time when he wants to do the easy thing," Pa began, his words carefully chosen. "Would it have been easy to kill Brainiac? Yes. Did you? You didn't. You chose to go it the hard way. For that, I couldn't be more proud of you."

Clark's heart swelled, relief and other strong, positive emotions welling up within him. There might have been some reciprocal pride as well, the kind only felt when a person was praised.

"It's a close second to the first," Pa continued, losing Clark for a moment. "If you're wondering, the first was when you caught that reporter lady who fell off that building and someone took your picture of doing that. The first time there was anything on that angel stuff that was coming out of Metropolis. Your Ma has the news article and everything in her scrapbook."

Ah, that's what he was talking about. That was years ago…

"Wonder whatever happened to that lady," Pa wondered curiously.

That lady happened to be his coworker at the Planet with the sharpest tongue and wit he had ever encountered. Would Lois like hearing her referred to as "that lady?" Probably not, but she wouldn't show it if there was no ill intent.

Clark lowered his head and found Pa looking right at him. The younger man shifted in his seat, sitting straighter under that fatherly look.

"I always knew you were destined for great things. It's why I knew, we knew, we couldn't keep you here. No matter what comes your way, I know that you'll do your best to do the right thing, even if it isn't easy. That's why I'll always be proud of you. Never you think otherwise."

There must have been something in his eyes because it was becoming a little blurry and he was not tearing up A hand wiping the moisture away fixed that for the time being. Years of practice kept him from knocking off his glasses; even if he didn't need to wear them here, he had begun not to feel like Clark without them.

As he lowered his hand, blinking a few times to further clear his vision, the adopted Kent gave a wane smile and said, "Thanks, Pa."

"Now, if you could do me a favor," Pa continued, somewhat surprisingly. "Is there anything you could do about that meatloaf?"

Clark found himself blinking dumbly. "But aren't you…?"

"Clark, there are many reasons why I married your mother. Her meatloaf was not one of them," the Kent patriarch stated wryly.

That brought a genuine laugh out of the younger, dark-haired man. "I don't know, Pa. I can fight anything that threatens Earth, but I don't think I can cross Ma."

"This is a job for Superman. I need that meatloaf gone by the time I get up tomorrow morning," Pa turned in an extremely flat tone of voice.

That only prompted another laugh. It seemed to be only known between the two of them that Pa hated Ma's meatloaf, but neither had the heart to tell her. It was another thing to know, growing up as a Kent and the home they provided to an orphaned child so many years ago.

It wasn't just the people of Metropolis he fought for and protected. It was people like Ma and Pa, people so full of kindness and love, and who deserved nothing but the best. Yes, the world was unfair, and bad things did happen to good people, but perhaps his actions went far enough to balance that out.

For two people, farmers in the middle of nowhere, Kansas, he would give it his all to see them happy and filled with hope of a brighter tomorrow. For the children they would raise, he would do his best to show them that they didn't have to be satisfied with a world that seemed to be against them, and to take away their fears that nothing was possible.

Still, as he had held up that murderer, there had been an urge, one that he had found himself almost giving in to. Now that there was some distance from that moment, Clark was shocked and a little horrified that he could even feel that way. It was sobering, coming with a clarity that only Ma saying, "We're having meatloaf tonight" could only bring.

He could recall the conversation, back at the Fortress with Batman. How that man was glad he hadn't found his parents' killer, and now the Kryptonian truly understood why. The want to have vengeance was great, and then where did you go after that?

At least he still had Pa and Ma to keep him centered, to provide a place of safety where he could be anything else other than Superman.

The man's gaze turned towards the night sky, partially blocked off by the portion of the roof that hung over the porch, but still visible nonetheless. Out there, that's where he had been born before coming here. What other secrets and threats remained out there, and which ones would he have to protect the Earth from?

Which one would be the one to push him to the point that he would deliberately take a life?

"Clark? What are you thinking about?"

Breaking away from his thoughts, Clark looked to his Pa. The older man had a little concern on his face, but nothing more than that.

"Just thinking," he answered. Enough with thinking about the future and whatever else it held. For the moment, everything was right. There were no worries, no problems, and no threats.

For now, that was more than enough.

* * *

Author's Note: I would like to give shout outs and thanks to Protocol115, Archergreatestsecretagent, and FlackAttack for their consistent reviews, and to everyone else for taking the time to review. Now, I know a bunch of people thought the footage of the future was going to get out, and they were partially right. I don't think that anyone thought that the villains of the story were going to be the ones to get their hands on it first.

Now, for what you've been waiting for: What comes next? I've got some good news for that. It's a two for one special, that's right. Once again, it's two stories for the price of one. The first will be a Justice League story, currently nameless, on ShadowMajin's account. The second will be Teen Titans, also nameless, and you can find that one on my, Anonymous Void's account. When these stories will be posted, I am unable to say right now, so keep your eyes peeled or put a couple alerts on us so that you won't miss the next installments. In the meantime, feeling free to speculate on what the plots of these stories are, who the villains will be, and so on and so forth. It's always a treat to read what's on your minds.

FlackAttack: ShadowMajin is the one to talk to about the super pills and whether or not Batman still has any. If he does, that could bring up some possibilities for a spectacular fight. As for Brainiac, the repercussions of this story will reverberate for some time, and in a lot of different plotlines. So long as this Coluan lives, well, we haven't seen the last of him, though how that will happen will have to remain a mystery for the time being. I think some of the questions you raised in your last review have been answered by this chapter, but that still leaves many more questions asked. Thanks for the reviews, and I look forward to whatever speculations you have.


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